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Leicestershire farmers are fearing for the future of hedgelaying after government grants to maintain hedges were put on hold. DEFRA closed the scheme in November for the grant process to be "simplified and rationalised". There has been no indication when or if the grants will restart and the NFU has said farmers and growers keen to adopt measures to improve the environment have been left without funding to complete the work. Defra has said it has committed £5 billion to the farming budget over two years and will contact farmers and land managers whose applications are on hold. Â鶹Éç Leicester's Helen McCarthy spoke to Steve Budding from Leicestershire who is about to become chair of the National Hedgelaying Society.