We are looking forward to engaging with the new Government, and we now need to see an immediate, revitalised, and ambitious direction for farming, which prioritises nature and biodiversity as well as food production.
How the country’s new leaders can hit the ground running when it comes to supporting farmers
We believe the Government can instantly demonstrate its ambition by committing to the rollout of at least 3,000 Higher Tier agreements per year, helping those farmers who are well-placed to do most for the environment and climate and who are often in economically vulnerable parts of the country.
The Government should also help farmers transition away from using chemical inputs by publishing a long-awaited National Action Plan on pesticides and setting out how farmers can help achieve its key goal of improving water quality, including through the use of land management schemes, setting a fit-for-purpose farming baseline, and investing in a financial programme to help farmers improve compliance rates with legal standards.
We are calling on the country's new leaders to recognise that nature and food production are two sides of the same coin and that investing in farming methods that help adapt to a rapidly warming climate, free farmers from input dependency, and support the recovery of watercourses is vital to long-term food security.
The time is now
The new Government is taking office at a time of immense challenges for farmers, who are facing sky-high input prices, extreme and volatile weather conditions and a ruthless marketplace. This means it has never been more urgent for the Government to set out a clear and coherent plan for farming, helping the sector build resilience to current and future challenges.
