A new “roadmap” for farming sets out how farmers can cope with climate change change-driven extremes and cut reliance on expensive fertilisers, the Government has said.
Ministers have announced the long-promised farming roadmap, developed in partnership with the sector, which they say will give farmers certainty “beyond the next harvest”.
The plan includes an extra £53 million for the farming innovation programme – bringing total funding for this year to £123 million – with dedicated cash for robotics and soil health and water management.
The Government also plans to work with the industry to develop sector growth plans in areas such as horticulture and poultry, support collaborative models such as cooperatives, and cut EU trade friction hampering exports with a new deal with the bloc.
Seasonal worker visas will continue to 2030, to support the horticulture sector, the Environment Department (Defra) said.
And the roadmap sets out farmers can reduce reliance on costly inputs such as fertilisers, where costs have climbed following the Iran war, and adapt to the growing climate impacts of heatwaves, drought and flooding through “nature-based solutions” such as improving health of soils and managing water.
The Government’s agri-environmental programme, the environmental land management schemes, will become more focused and targeted, while long-term payments for “public goods” such as creating wildlife habitat will continue.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: “Farmers feed our nation and manage the land that shapes our countryside, yet their contribution has never been valued in the way it deserves.
“Our roadmap marks a shift away from only looking to the next harvest and towards a plan that gives farmers the long-term clarity they need to innovate, invest and grow with confidence for generations to come.
“I have spent every day in this role rebuilding our relationship with farmers brick by brick because they’re such an important part of our economy, our society and our environment.”
She added: “We are looking at how farming is valued economically and socially to ensure it receives the recognition it deserves,” with only primary agricultural activity currently recorded in official statistics.
The long term roadmap comes after a Government-commissioned review by former National Farmers’ Union president Baroness Batters into farm profitability, and ministers say they are taking immediate action in response.
Measures include extending supply chain fair dealing rules to egg producers and fresh produce, opening a new “sustainable farming initiative” application window to all eligible farmers this month, and opening a new £30 million farmer collaboration fund this summer.
Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said: “With much of England sweltering in its second record-breaking heatwave in two months, it is a great relief that the roadmap recognises the interconnectedness of farming, food production, climate and nature.
“This shows the Government understands that farming is about far more than just food production.
“Food security is vital for the future, but so are the other public goods that farms can provide, including clean water, habitat for nature, renewable energy and sustainable products such as timber and fibre.
“The Government now needs to support delivery of the roadmap, enabling farmers to turn its ambitions into action on the ground.
“That means backing England’s farmers with the right investment, schemes, and market conditions so our landscapes can deliver for food production, nature recovery, climate resilience and economic growth,” he urged.
