PROJECT INFORMATION NOTE
About the research
The Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI, University of Gloucestershire), ADAS and Fera have been commissioned by Natural England to undertake a comparison of the effectiveness of AB15 2-year legume fallow options in Countryside Stewardships (CS) and NUM3 legume fallow action in Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).
A key part of the research is the online survey to gather the views of all agreement holders with the AB15/NUM3 options on the management and advice related to these options.
Before you decide whether to take part in the survey, it is important you understand why the research is being undertaken and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following FAQs and then decide whether you want to take part. You will be able to give your consent on the survey form.
Who are the CCRI, ADAS and Fera?
The CCRI, within the University of Gloucestershire, is a specialist rural research institute working at the interface of agriculture, society and the environment. Learn more about CCRI here: http://www.ccri.ac.uk/about-the-ccri/. ADAS is the UK’s largest independent provider of environmental consultancy, rural development services and policy advice. Learn more about ADAS here: https://adas.co.uk/ Fera is a national and international centre of excellence for interdisciplinary investigation and problem solving across plant and bee health, crop protection, sustainable agriculture, food and feed quality and chemical safety in the environment. Learn more about Fera here https://www.fera.co.uk/
Why am I being asked to participate?
You are being asked to complete the online survey as someone who has the AB15 2-year legume fallow option in your CS agreement or the NUM3 legume fallow option in your SFI agreement. Your responses will help inform best practices for balancing grass weed control and pollinator provision.
If I participate, what is my survey data going to be used for?
Survey data will be used by us at the CCRI, ADAS and Fera to write a report which contributes to the evaluation of the AB15 and NUM3 options. This report will be sent to Natural England and eventually may be wholly or partly made publicly available. We may also publish academic articles using the survey data. This analysis will be communicated to Natural England to help them develop appropriate guidance for the establishment and management of the AB15 and NUM3 legume fallow options.
Any personal data (e.g. your name, phone number, address) used will be for recruitment purposes ONLY and any interview responses will not be linked to your name or other identifiable details. Personal data will be held both securely and confidentially in line with our GDPR requirements. These details will only be held for as long as operationally necessary; they will be deleted at the end of the project. Personal data will be accessed via password protected devices/OneDrive.
Your responses are confidential and all responses will be anonymous. No personal questions are asked in this survey and responses will not be traceable back to any individual unless you would like to participate in future research work and have provided your contact details at the end of the survey.
Anonymised survey responses may be kept indefinitely and used for future research.
Do I have to take part?
No. It is entirely up to you whether you decide to participate. If you decide not to participate this will not be made known to Natural England, nor will it in anyway impact your agri-environment scheme agreement or eligibility for future rounds of agri-environment scheme funding.
What are the possible benefits of participation?
This survey offers a unique opportunity to feedback your experiences of the AB15 and NUM3 options. This may help improve these options for you and others in the future.
Are there any risks?
The main risk is being identified in any reporting, but by storing your personal details separately from your survey responses and ensuring that any responses are completely anonymised, we are confident this is unlikely to happen. Do let our team know if you’re particularly concerned about being identified.
Can I change my mind?
Yes. You can close the survey at any time and not submit your responses. After completing the survey, you have up to 30 days from the day you submitted your responses to revise / omit particular responses. After the 30 days you will no longer be able to do this. Please email the survey lead (jmills@glos.ac.uk) to withdraw / discuss any concerns.
Will I remain anonymous if I take part? Will my responses be held confidentially?
As above, results will be anonymised before being reported, with any (direct or indirect) identifiable details removed or reduced. Although we are bound by confidentiality, we may be required to disclose confidential information regarding their participants to the appropriate authorities when required by law or if there is a special duty to report.
Who has reviewed this research for ethical clearance?
The survey has been approved by the University of Gloucestershire Ethics Committee and steps have been taken to ensure the survey (and the wider research) fully complies with the necessary personal data management procedures in place at the University (more info: https://www.glos.ac.uk/research/research-ethics).
What if I have any questions / concerns?
Please email the survey lead Jane Mills (jmills@glos.ac.uk) or phone 01242 714137.
If you wish to talk to Natural England directly about the survey, please email David.Whiting@naturalengland.org.uk
Alternatively, please contact the CCRI, University of Gloucestershire Ethics Lead (Dr Hannah Chiswell hchiswell1@glos.ac.uk)
