This blog supports the key asks found in our UK Manifesto 'A Field of View'
With an economic contribution of less than 1% of GDP, farming is often overlooked by political parties in the pursuit of increased economic growth. But the social, environmental and economic impact of agriculture is infinitely greater than a narrow metric like GDP can account for.
How we manage farmland directly impacts the nutritional quality of our food, underpinning the nation’s productivity and prosperity. Our relationship with the land and soil directly impacts biological diversity and our ability to address and cope with climate change and can lessen or increase air and water pollution. The way that farming shapes the landscape impacts our health and well-being while providing insight into our history and culture.
Farming is intrinsically linked to human health and the human experience. Yet, for the last 70 years, successive governments have incentivised a narrow view of success which prioritised food production, often at the expense of all else. The result is an exorbitant build-up of environmental and social externalities. The costs of biodiversity loss, river pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have become immense, while a ruthless focus on efficiencies within the supply chain has destabilised rural economies and decimated the rural workforce.
The way that we manage land in the face of climate change and ecological breakdown will establish the foundations of success or failure for future generations of UK citizens. We need a new vision for farming and land use that recognises the environmental and social impacts of the last 70 years, takes responsibility, and partners with farmers to put things right.
To restore nature – to mitigate and adapt to climate change – to end agricultural pollution in our rivers – while also producing more good nutritious food – will take money. And yet, each UK citizen contributes less than what it costs to join the National Trust; it is staggering that farming receives so little public support.
It’s clear that a farming budget of £3.6 billion per year is not up to the task of urgently and at scale delivering these priorities.
How much and what for?
Evidence suggests that a significant financial uplift is required. A finance gap of £56 billion exists between committed spending and what is needed to secure the successful delivery of the UK's long-term environmental priorities. For farming alone a budget of at least £4.4 billion worth of investment is required each year via land management schemes to meet legally binding environmental commitments. Given the need for an agriculture budget to restore nature, revitalise rural economies and improve public access, we believe an agriculture budget of £6 billion is the minimum needed to unlock what farming has to offer.
A strong business case
Given the current economic climate, calls for an increased agriculture budget may be viewed with scepticism. This overlooks the strong and growing body of evidence which demonstrates that targeted investment in farming and land management can provide a wealth of economic benefits.
Estimates suggest that every £1 invested in Higher Level Stewardship Schemes in England resulted in a return of £2.23 to the local economy
Investment in local food systems to deliver 10% of retail market share by 2030 could create an additional 200,000 jobs
A Northern Irish study found that restoring a 5,395 ha peatland site would deliver benefits of over £50 million over 50 years with every £1 of investment resulting in £3.91 worth of benefits as a result of carbon sequestration, reduced flood risk and water quality improvement
Increasing the extent of the UK’s hedgerow network by 40% would provide an economic return of £3.92 for every £1 invested as a result of improved ecosystem services and increased economic activity associated with meeting the target
Priority habitats are estimated to provide £1.36 billion of public benefits per year in the UK
Green prescribing could help improve mental health outcomes for 1.2 million people with cost savings of £635.6 million to the NHS if scaled up nationally
Evidence demonstrates that the creation of on-farm habitat can help increase the yield of certain crops by 25-35% in part as a result of the services provided by beneficial insects
The average UK farm could store an additional 67 million litres of water if managed regeneratively, significantly reducing flood risk and building resilience to drought
Conclusion
With the economy front and centre of the electorate's minds, politicians may take what they believe is a calculated risk in placing farming near the bottom of the pile. This would be a foolish oversight. With a relatively small investment, we can unlock farming’s potential to restore our rivers, regenerate our soils, and restore biodiversity all while safeguarding the long-term future of domestic farming and food production.