While the Government deserves congratulations for this funding commitment, there is still much work to be done to drive the transition to nature-friendly farming at scale, including further necessary changes to England’s Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs).
Martin Lines said: “Currently, the majority of ELMs funding is directed towards the schemes with the lowest ambitions for nature, placing minimal demands on farmers. This must change, with more ambitious schemes receiving sufficient funds to realise their full potential.
“I particularly welcome the move to open up the Higher Tier of CS, as there have been many problems with it and it has caused a lot of worry, especially for upland farmers for whom balancing environmental outcomes and food production is vital.”
However, it must be flagged that some farm businesses will now have to urgently rethink their plans and could find themselves struggling as the phaseout of land-based payments is quickened, while there is also considerable concern that the Government’s changes to agricultural property relief will require careful tax planning and could have a particularly significant impact on family farms.
In addition, while the Government’s spending boost is welcome, it still falls short of the £5.9bn per year recommended in the Scale of Need report. We would also like to see commitments from the devolved governments in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to ensure nature-friendly farming is rolled out at scale right across the UK.
Martin said: “We urgently need fundamental changes to make our farm businesses financially resilient, enabling farmers to continue producing food amid the climate crisis and protecting our long-term food security. A healthier farming budget will be instrumental in achieving this, but now is not the time for ministers to hold back.”
