Asked by: Lord Cromwell (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what specific steps they are taking to enable farmers and land managers to plan long-term on the basis of clarity on the future of financial support for environmental schemes, including transitioning from existing ones.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We know farmers require stability in order to make long-term plans. We said we would provide stability for farmers and we are delivering on this commitment. We have confirmed that the first Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements of the 2024 offer are now live. We will confirm plans for rollout of schemes and our wider approach as soon as possible.
The Government is fully committed to Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, which it will optimise in an orderly way, over time. We will work with the sector to make sure schemes produce the right outcomes for all farmers, including small, grassland, upland and tenanted farms, supporting food security and nature’s recovery in a just and equitable way. Spending on farming in future financial years will be confirmed as part of the Government’s spending review.
Asked by: Lord Cromwell (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which the Environmental Land Management Scheme will achieve a full financial replacement for support previously available under the now closed Basic Payment Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is supporting farmers and land managers through a range of grants and schemes beside ELM, designed to support a resilient and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British Farmers. These grants are set out on Defra’s “Funding for Farmers” webpage.
Asked by: Lord Cromwell (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce or withdraw support to the Sustainable Farming Incentive and, if so, (1) when, and (2) by how much; and what assessment they have made of the subsequent effect on existing agreements and new applications.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is fully committed to Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, including the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). Record numbers of farmers are now in an ELM scheme, and the Government wants to maintain the momentum built over recent months.
The Government will optimise ELM schemes such as the SFI in an orderly way, over time. The Government will work with the sector to make sure schemes produce the right outcomes for all farmers, including small, grassland, upland and tenanted farms, supporting food security and nature’s recovery in a just and equitable way.