Future farming: what's changing
Written by The Team
This page gives an overview of the changes to farming in England.
Environmental land management schemes
We're introducing 3 new schemes that will pay farmers to carry out environmental land management.
They are:
- Sustainable Farming Incentive
- Local Nature Recovery
- Landscape Recovery
The Sustainable Farming Incentive will reward farmers for producing public goods on their land. It will pay for actions that can have benefits anywhere in the country.
Who is eligible
To start with it will be open to all Basic Payment Scheme claimants, and later we’ll extend eligibility to include other farmers.
To get paid, you will have to meet standards or take actions on your farm to benefit the environment, climate or animal welfare.
You’ll still get Basic Payment Scheme funding, but they will reduce as part of the Agricultural Transition Plan.
How it'll work
You'll get paid to carry out a set of actions to:
- reduce levels of sediment, nutrients and chemical pollution in water
- reduce flooding, erosion and run-off
- decrease greenhouse gas emissions
- improve carbon storage, water storage and biodiversity
Piloting of Sustainable Farming Incentive is underway ahead of its launch in 2022. Read more about the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot.
Local Nature Recovery
Local Nature Recovery is a scheme that pays for locally-specific actions to benefit the environment and climate.
Who is eligible
A wide range of farmers and land managers
How it'll work
The scheme will pay for actions that support local nature recovery and deliver local environmental priorities. This will include:
- creating or managing and restoring natural habitats
- natural flood management
- rights of way navigation and recreation infrastructure
- education infrastructure, events and services
The scheme will begin piloting in 2022, and launch in 2024.
Landscape Recovery
Who is eligible
The scheme is for farmers and land managers in England.
How it'll work
The scheme will support landscape and ecosystem recovery through long-term projects, such as:
- restoring wilder landscapes in places where it’s appropriate
- large-scale woodland creation and restoration
- peatland and salt marsh restoration
The scheme will begin piloting around 10 projects in 2022, and launch in 2024.
Complementary environmental land management schemes and programmes
Farming in Protected Landscapes
Farming in Protected Landscapes is a programme of funding for one-off projects. It will support farmers and land managers to carry out projects that:
- support nature recovery
- mitigate the impacts of climate change
- provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and its cultural heritage
- support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses
It's open to all farmers and land managers within an Area Of Natural Beauty or National Parks in England, or the Norfolk Broads. It could also support activity on other land, where a project will benefit a protected landscape or its body’s objectives or partnership initiatives.
Dates
The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme will be open for applications from July 2021. From 24 June, you find out more about Farming in Protected Landscapes on GOV.UK.
England Woodland Creation Offer
Administered by the Forestry Commission, the England Woodland Creation Offer supports the creation of new woodland, including through natural colonisation, on areas as small as 1 hectare.
This is for owner-occupiers, tenants, landlords and licensors who have full management control of the land in the application (or consent from those who do).
Apply for the England Woodland Creation Offer.
Tree Health Scheme
For felling and the treatment of diseased trees in certain situations and restocking following felling.
Who is eligible
The scheme is for:
- arable farmers or land managers
- livestock farmers or managers
- forests or woodland managers
- growers
Dates
A pilot for Tree Health scheme will launch in August 2021. The pilot will trial new elements of a future scheme to support land managers and farmers in taking action against harmful tree pests and diseases. The pilot will offer different support to the existing Countryside Stewardship Woodland Tree Health Grants which will end in 2024.
Animal Health and Welfare Pathway
The Animal Health and Welfare Pathway provides funding to help farmers produce healthier animals to the highest standards of welfare. Some of the pathway will be supported through Sustainable Farming Incentive.
Who is eligible
The scheme is for farmers or managers of livestock.
Dates
Applications will open in 2022.
Slurry Investment scheme
The slurry investment scheme will help to reduce pollution from farming and contribute to the government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and Net Zero commitments.
This scheme will help farmers invest in new slurry stores that exceed current regulatory requirements. We also plan to put new regulations in place as part of the Clean Air Strategy.
Who is eligible
This is aimed at livestock farmers. The scheme may focus on locations where environmental impact of slurry is greatest.
Dates
Applications will open in 2022.
Prosperity and productivity funding
Farming Resilience Fund
The Farming Resilience Fund is designed to offer more support to more farmers and land managers to help them plan for the future.
Who is eligible
Any farmer or land manager currently in receipt of direct payments.
Dates
The support offered to farmers will be available in phases from August 2021. We'll provide business advice and support services until 2024.
Read more about:
- how the Future Farming Resilience Fund is supporting farmers through transition
- how this work is progressing
Farming Investment Fund
We're offering funding for equipment, technology, and infrastructure that improves farm productivity and benefits the environment.
You can get a grant for a part of the total cost of investment. This could include costs like equipment and technology, or on-farm water storage
Learn more about the Farming Investment Fund.
Dates
The Farming Investment Fund will launch in Autumn 2021.
Innovation, research and development
The future of farming relies on increased support for innovation, research and development.
Learn more about how we're encouraging innovation in farming.
Dates
We'll publish more details in October 2021.
New Entrant Support Scheme
The New Entrant Support scheme aims to encourage new starters into farming.
Who is eligible
Eligibility for this scheme will be developed in partnership with stakeholders.
Dates
Applications will open in 2022.
Lump sum exit scheme
In 2022, we'll publish an exit scheme to help farmers who wish to retire. It will offer a lump sum in place of any further Basic Payment Scheme payments and de-linked payments.
Rules for lump sum payments will be set following consultation with farmers.
Until 11 August 2021, you can let us know your thoughts on how these schemes could run.
Share your thoughts by replying to our consultation.
What's happening to existing schemes?
Basic Payments Scheme
The Basic Payments Scheme is available to farmers with at least 5 hectares of agricultural land registered in England.
What will happen
You’ll still get Basic Payments Scheme funding, but it will reduce gradually until 2027 when it will stop.
Find out more about how BPS reductions work.
Countryside Stewardship agreements and Capital Grants
What will happen
Countryside Stewardship will continue to be open to new applications until 2023 (for agreements starting in 2024). This includes 4 Wildlife Offers available for Arable, Mixed, Upland and Lowland Grassland farms.
The Mid Tier offers revenue payments and grants to protect and enhance the natural environment, in particular the diversity of wildlife and water quality.
The Higher Tier is for more environmentally significant sites, commons and woodlands.
A range of Capital Grants are also available to support improved water and air quality and for hedgerows and boundaries, and for woodland management plans and tree health.
Who is eligible
This is for:
- arable farmers or land managers
- livestock farmers or managers
- forests or woodland managers
- growers
You can apply for:
- Woodland creation, maintenance, management and tree health incentives - offered by the Forestry Commission
- Bovine Viral Diarrhoea 'Stamp it Out' - a project aiming to reduce the level of Bovine Viral Diarrhoea in cattle. You can apply up to 30 June 2021
- The Livestock Information Programme - provides multispecies livestock traceability services for farmers and the wider industry
- The Bovine TB Advisory Service is an on-farm and telephone advice service to help reduce the incidence and severity of Bovine TB breakouts
Get updates about the schemes
You can sign up for Defra news and read an overview of the schemes.
Talk to us
We'll be at events all over the country in 2021. Look out for the Future Farming stand.
| Event | Location | Date |
| Groundswell | Hertfordshire | Wednesday 23 June |
| Cereals Live | Lincolnshire | Wednesday 30 June |
| Devon County Show | Devon | Friday 2 July |
| Great Yorkshire Show | Yorkshire | Tuesday 13 July |
| Fruit Focus | Kent | Wednesday 21 July |
| Westmorland County Show | Cumbria | Wednesday 8 September |
| UK Dairy Day | Shropshire | Wednesday 15 September |
Thursday 24 June
Thursday 1 July
Saturday 3 July
Sunday 4 July
Wednesday 14 July
Thursday 15 July
Friday 16 July
Thursday 9 September
Work with us
Co-design is an approach that actively involves users and stakeholders from the beginning of a project, right through to roll-out.
It means we collaborate with everyone who has an interest to solve real problems with them. We actively seek their input and feedback, based on their lived experience, as we iterate and improve services.
We might ask you to:
- attend a workshop
- try out some of our new webpages
- talk to us about your experiences with Defra and funding schemes
- complete an online survey or task
- answer questions by email
Learn more about co-design or email [email protected] to take part.
The future of English farming
You can read more about our future farming plans in the following publications:
The Agricultural Transition Plan
The Agricultural Transition Plan sets out the changes we are going to make to agricultural policy in England from 1 January 2021. It also covers what these changes will mean for farmers and land managers.
Farming is Changing
The Farming is Changing document sets out the latest information on farming policy in England from 1 January 2021. It will be regularly updated.
The Trade and Agriculture Commission
The Trade and Agriculture Commission will advise the government on how to make sure UK farmers do not face unfair competition nor have their high animal welfare and production standards undermined. It will also find new export opportunities for the UK agricultural industry – in particular for small and medium-sized enterprises.
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