'Path to Sustainable Farming'

The Government has unveiled its plans for the ‘Path to Sustainable Farming’ ahead of the Brexit transition period ending on December 31st.

The roadmap outlines changes that will come into force over a period of seven years to help farmers adapt and plan for the future.

The changes will be designed to ensure that by 2028, farmers in England can sustainably produce healthy food profitably without subsidy, whilst taking steps to improve the environment, improve animal health and welfare and reduce carbon emissions.

Mark Bridgeman, President of the Country Land and Business Association which represents 28,000 rural businesses, said:

“From January, we will embark upon the biggest shift in agricultural policy in 70 years.  The new Environmental Land Management scheme has the potential to be a genuinely world-leading policy that will allow land managers and government to work together to reverse biodiversity decline and mitigate climate change, as well as deliver quality food, grown and reared to the highest standards.

“But the transition from the old system to the new is fraught with risk. Many farmers will find it hard to see past the drastic cuts to the Basic Payment Scheme, that begin next year. The average family farm will see cuts of over 50% before the new schemes are fully available in 2024.  The Government has announced the Sustainable Farming Incentive to help bridge the gap, but with only a month to go before the transition phase begins we have no details whatsoever about how this will work on the ground and the level of investment it will provide.

“This lack of detail risks casting a shadow over Government’s laudable aims.”

To see how it might affect your own business, download the CLA’s analysis here.

Notes:

• The CLA lobbied successfully for the Sustainable Farming Incentive as a bridging mechanism to help farmers transition from the old system to the new. 
• The CLA first lobbied for the ‘public money for public goods’ model over ten years ago and is strongly in favour of the Environmental Land Management schemes