A farming and land management policy suited to the British agriculture sector
As the MP for a constituency that includes a large area of agricultural land and protected natural environment, as well as many business and people in the agricultural sector, I know just how important farming is to our communities. That is why it is essential that we have a farming and land management policy that is suited to the British agricultural sector and which reflects our national priorities but also takes account of our local landscapes.
At the end of the transition period in December, we will no longer be part of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy. That is why DEFRA has produced a new vision for British farming, called the Agricultural Transition Plan.
This new set of policies has been designed in close collaboration with the farming industry, because it needs to work for everyone across the British farming sector.
Here in Penistone and Stocksbridge we have a wide variety of farming businesses, including arable, dairy, and upland livestock. I want to make sure that all of these businesses have the tools and resources necessary to adapt to the new system and the technologies of the future, which is why I am delighted that the Government has produced such a comprehensive plan for farming.
Further consultation will take place in 2021 on aspects of the plan, and I would encourage farmers and land managers to take part and have their say on the future of British agriculture.
Ending the Common Agricultural Policy
The Government has a long-standing commitment to replace the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy with a bespoke British farming and land management subsidy scheme once the Transition Period has ended.
For too long the CAP has restricted how we can financially support and reward good environmental stewardship and instead focused on one-size-fits-all solutions. These were not designed for the unique characteristics of the British agricultural sector and were not fit for purpose.
We are therefore replacing the CAP system of Direct Payments with a new system that will include:
- Environmental Land Management, a new way to pay farmers and land managers to produce public goods
- grants and other help to improve farm productivity and sustainability
- a new approach to farming regulation and enforcement.
Understandably many farmers and land managers have adapted and become accustomed to the old way of doing things, and so the transition away from CAP’s model of direct payments must be handled carefully in a way that will give people time to adjust to the new system. The transition will therefore take place over a period of 7 years. I am reassured that there will be substantial support and advice available during this transition process.
“We need to design a policy that is not only right for those that are the custodians of the countryside today, but is also right for those who will follow in their footsteps tomorrow,” (Environment Secretary, George Eustice)
New priorities and new funding
British farming rightly has a world-class reputation for quality and standards in food safety, environmental protection and animal welfare. That is something that our farming and land management funding system should encourage and enable, and that is why I am pleased that we are refocusing our subsidies towards delivery of additional public goods.
This will create cleaner, greener landscapes and we hope to reverse species decline and improve biodiversity significantly. At the same time, we will help food producers to stay competitive, helping our farmers to produce the high-quality food that they are renowned for, while protecting and enhancing the environment.
The new system will incentivise and reward work in important areas such as:
- clean air and water
- animal health and welfare
- tree and woodland health
- protected and unique landscapes
- plants and wildlife
- environmental protection
- mitigation of climate change
- beauty and heritage.
The new Environmental Land Management system will be the main vehicle for paying farmers and land managers to deliver public goods. This will be done through three main components:
- the Sustainable Farming Incentive
- Local Nature Recovery agreements
- Landscape Recovery agreements.
In addition to Environmental Land Management, we are maintaining our commitment to sustainable farming and landscapes through a range of grants, subsidies and schemes. These include:
- the Countryside Stewardship Scheme
- Catchment Sensitive Farming Support
- Farmers in Protected Landscapes Grants
- the new Tree Health Scheme
- the Woodland Creation Planning Grant
- the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway
- the new Livestock Information Service.
This wide range of funding options will enable farmers and land managers to tailor the support that they receive to the specific circumstances of their land and business, whilst also benefitting from more general support that rewards good environmental stewardship.
Investing in farmers and land managers
I welcome the fact that there will be a renewed focus on supporting farmers and land managers to make their business as productive and sustainable as possible. Farming is more than just a career, and it is important that we help current and new farmers to succeed. I know from talking to farmers across the Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency that many are keen to embrace new technology and ways of working, but often there are logistical or financial barriers that make this difficult.
The new Farming Investment Fund and Innovation Research and Development Scheme will help the transition to equipment, technology, and infrastructure that improves farm productivity and benefits the environment. Full details will be announced in 2021, and the Government will be working closely with farming bodies on the schemes.
In addition to financial support there will also be business advice and support services aimed at the individuals and businesses most affected by the removal of Direct Payments. These will sit alongside the new Trade and Agriculture Commission, which will advise the government on policy as well as identifying new export opportunities for the UK agricultural industry.
There will also be improvements to the way regulation and enforcement work. When we delink payments in 2024, we will stop using cross-compliance as the main way to inspect and enforce against baseline regulations. Instead, DEFRA will work with farmers to design a new approach that is more fair, proportionate and effective. A consultation on this will begin in 2021.
To reiterate, as an MP for a constituency with significant numbers of businesses and people in the agricultural sector, whilst I welcome the proposals, I look forward to listening to local views and to taking part in the consultation.
- Environment Secretary George Eustice launches the Agricultural Transition Plan
- Roadmap to better, fairer farming system published today
