Hill Farming: Subsidies

(asked on 19th February 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the level of financial support that will be available to hill farmers through the Basic Payment Scheme or an alternative to that scheme by 2024.


Answered by
George Eustice Portrait
George Eustice
This question was answered on 25th February 2019

The Government has pledged to continue to commit the same cash total in funds for farm support until the end of this Parliament, expected in 2022. This includes all funding provided for farm support under both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 of the current Common Agricultural Policy. We are working across Government to develop future funding arrangements.

We will phase out Direct Payments in England during an agricultural transition period, giving time for farmers to adjust. We plan to start reducing payments in 2021. We aim to phase out Direct Payments completely by the end of the transition period, with the last payments being made for the 2027 scheme year.

A new Environmental Land Management system will be the cornerstone of our agricultural policy in England after we leave the EU. Elements of the new system are being trialled and tested before being piloted. The National Pilot is scheduled to launch in 2021. The full system will be rolled out in 2024.

Due to the environmental quality of upland areas, upland farmers will be well placed to benefit from the new Environmental Land Management system which will reward land managers for the public goods they deliver and provide an income stream.

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