LIVE - DEFRA SFI Janet Hughes “ask me anything” 19:00-20:00 20th September (Today)

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Hello, I’m Janet Hughes. I’m the Programme Director for the Future Farming and Countryside Programme in Defra – the programme that’s phasing out the Common Agricultural Policy and introducing new schemes and services for farmers.



Today (20 September) between 7pm-8pm, I and some of my colleagues will be answering your questions about our work including the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Farming in Protected Landscapes, and our test and trials.



We’ll try to answer at least 15 of your top voted questions, so please vote on the questions you’d most like me to answer.



You can read more about our Future Farming policy on our blog.



I’ve answered some of your questions previously: you can watch the videos on the Farm TV or Defra’s YouTube (part 1 and part 2 of the videos). I’m happy to answer any follow-up questions about that, as well as other questions you might have.



Housekeeping:

  • We’ll do our best to answer as many questions as we can, in the order in which you’ve voted on them
  • If there are top voted questions we can’t answer immediately for whatever reason, we’ll do our best to come back with answers to them in the next few days
  • If this works for you as a format, we’ll do it again, so let us know what you think!


Looking forward to seeing you at 7pm!
 
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Unless DEFRA understand that ‘sustainable farming’ means profitable farming this whole exercise is a waste of everyone’s time other than those who wish to see the demise of family farms in the UK.
We do see it that way - that's why we have a mix of investment in productivity and environment schemes. The resilience fund is also open now, with 19 organisations providing free business planning advice https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2021/07/13/the-future-farming-resilience-fund-providers-named/
 
What purpose has Defra and National policies when the devolved powers across the Country do what they want and then often seen by many , detrimental to the UK as a whole?
Agriculture is a devolved matter, so the programme I'm leading relates to England and the devolved administrations each have their own approach - I'm not able to comment in any detail on that I'm afraid as it's completely outside my remit
 
Is subsidised food production no longer to be considered a “public benefit?”
Food production is hugely important for the public. But we don't think subsidies are the right way forward because they stifle productivity growth, are unfair, drive up land and rent prices and don't produce much public benefit.

That's why we are going to spend the money instead on (a) supporting productivity in the sector and (b) investing in environmental, climate and animal health and welfare outcomes. The government has committed to maintain the same level of spending on agriculture but through these schemes instead of subsidies.

Also, we think food production and these outcomes can and should go hand in hand - it's not about choosing one or the other.
 
Would we better off sticking with food production, rather than trying to be wildlife champions, whilst importing food from countries with questionable practices such as leveling rain forests to produce crops/ meat that could be produced in the UK ?
We don't think it's about not producing food and doing wildlife instead - for a lot of farms it will be about producing food in a more sustainable way.
 
Hi, how are ordinary family farms going to make up the loss of say 25000 grand in the next few year, buy 2025 fertiliser will be 400£ a ton, everyone can't do B&B or holiday let's, obviously the prise of stock, milk, barley will need to double like everything a farmer needs has.
The answer to this will be different for every farm - it depends on your type, size, location and tenancy as well as your preferences. We've commissioned 19 organisations to provide free business planning advice to help farmers think through their options, whether that's around increasing your income including through schemes or adding value to your produce, reducing your costs eg by lowering inputs, or reducing waste eg through managing pests and diseases.
 
Hello - thanks for your question :)

We're not planning for Red Tractor or any other assurance scheme to police environmental schemes on our behalf.

However, we are looking at possibly having some kind of earned recognition scheme for assurance schemes like Red Tractor, LEAF and organic certification so that people in those schemes can be recognised within government schemes.

What do you think? Does that seem like a good idea to you?
Can Janet confirm that Red Tractor will not be involved in policing the scheme?
 
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SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.0%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 35.1%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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