Defra The new Agriculture Bill has been published

‘A future where farmers are properly supported to farm more innovatively and protect the environment is a step closer today following the introduction of the Agriculture Bill.

The landmark legislation introduced today will provide a boost to the industry after years of inefficient and overly bureaucratic policy dictated to farmers by the EU. It sets out how farmers and land managers in England will in the future be rewarded with public money for “public goods” – such as better air and water quality, higher animal welfare standards, improved access to the countryside or measures to reduce flooding. This will contribute to the government’s commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, while at the same time, helping to boost farmers’ productivity.

This will replace the current subsidy system of Direct Payments which pays farmers for the total amount of land farmed, skewing payments towards the largest landowners rather than those farmers delivering specific public benefits.  Instead, the new measures will provide a better future for agriculture in this country, maximising the potential of the land for food production and for delivering public goods.The reforms set out in the Bill are supported by the manifesto commitment to maintain overall annual funding for farm support at current levels for the duration of this Parliament.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said:

‘Our landmark Agriculture Bill will transform British farming, enabling a balance between food production and the environment which will safeguard our countryside and farming communities for the future. This is one of the most important environmental reforms for many years, rewarding farmers for the work they do to safeguard our environment and helping us meet crucial goals on climate change and protecting nature and biodiversity.

We will move away from the EU’s bureaucratic Common Agricultural Policy and towards a fairer system which rewards our hard-working farmers for delivering public goods, celebrating their world-leading environmental work and innovative, modern approach to food production. We will continue to champion British produce and support farmers to adapt to our new pioneering approach to agriculture through a seven-year transition period in England, ensuring we unleash the potential of our farmers for the future. The new Bill champions British food by improving transparency and fairness in the supply chain from farm to fork and through investing in new technology and research to ensure our world-renowned food producers remain competitive and innovative.’  Click here to read more

CIWEM: Sarah Anderton’s  blog on the Agriculture Bill – payment for public goods, soil and sustainability all get a mention

Defra  ‘While the Agriculture Bill was previously introduced before the General Election in 2018, there have been a number of additions to the Bill such as: making sure soil is specifically named in the Bill so we can provide financial assistance for protecting or improving its quality; a new requirement for the UK government to regularly report on food security and powers to improve the management of data relating to the identification, movement and health of animals. The new additions to the Bill have been welcomed by stakeholders.  The NFU recognise that “this Bill is one of the most significant piece of legislation for farmers in England in over 70 years” and welcome “the Agriculture Bill now recognises that food production and caring for the environment go hand-in-hand”.    The CPRE welcome the Bill and the inclusion of financial rewards for soil maintenance and protection: “This Agriculture Bill has been a long time coming but it’s clear the government has listened to CPRE’s message about the importance of soil. Healthy soil is essential for the supply of healthy food, clean water and also helps us lock up carbon to tackle the climate and nature emergency.”   The National Trust praise the focus on environmental protections and improvements: ‘We welcome this new Agriculture Bill as a key tool in delivering practical solutions to the twin nature and climate crises, supporting farmers to restore and sustain our natural environment, in turn securing the sustainable future of farming itself.’