Defra aims to end farmers being rocked by ‘chop and change’ of schemes

Written by Eva Osborne-Sherlock from Agriland

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has said new farmer confidence figures make clear the need for the end of farmers “being rocked by the chop and change of farming schemes”.

New figures released by the department show farmer confidence remains poor, with nearly half of farmers not feeling positive about their future in farming.

Of the 82% farmers that said they are making changes to their business, a quarter plan to reduce the size of their businesses and 14% plan to leave farming in the next 3-5 years.

Defra said the results show a clear need for farmers to stop being shook by changes to farming schemes.

The department said the optimisation of Environmental Land Management schemes is needed so that they work for all farmers, including those who have been “too often ignored”.

These include small, grassland, upland and tenanted farms, and the new government said its actions aim to restore stability and confidence in the sector.

“They follow the negative trend seen across the past few years. This is a complex problem, with several factors contributing to this persistent trend,” Defra said.

“Farmers have been struggling with extreme weather events like flooding and sudden huge rises in energy costs and been undermined by damaging trade deals.”

Defra’s latest Farming Opinion Tracker for England gives a snapshot of the views and opinions of the sector between end of April and beginning of June.

The latest results show that trade agreements with other countries were a factor for 29% of farmers who made changes to their business.”

Farmer confidence​

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed said:   “Confidence amongst farmers is extremely low.

“The new government will restore stability and confidence in the sector introducing a new deal for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen food security alongside nature’s recovery.  

“We will protect farmers from being undercut in trade deals, make the supply chain work more fairly, prevent shock rises in bills by switching on GB Energy, better protect them from flooding through a new Flood Resilience Taskforce and use the Government’s own purchasing power to back British produce.”

Reed said that the “work of change has now begun”.

The government said it is introducing a new deal for farmers to boost Britain’s food security and drive rural economic growth.

This will include:

• Optimising Environmental Land Management schemes so they produce the right outcomes for all farmers while delivering food security and nature recovery in a “just and equitable way”;
• Seeking a new veterinary agreement with the European Union to cut red tape at borders and get British food exports moving again;
• Protecting farmers from being undercut by low welfare and low standards in trade deals;
• Using the government’s purchasing power to back British produce;
• Setting up a new British Infrastructure Council to steer private investment in rural areas including broadband rollout in rural communities;
• Speeding up the building of flood defences and natural flood management schemes, including through a new flood resilience taskforce to protect rural homes and farms;
• Introducing a land-use framework which balances long-term food security and nature recovery.

Also Read: 35% of farmers intend to grow their business in the next 5 years – survey

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