Agriculture: Government Assistance

(asked on 21st February 2023) - View Source

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

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support (1) new farmers, and (2) new farming businesses, into agriculture.


Answered by
Lord Benyon Portrait
Lord Benyon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 6th March 2023

The Government’s Agricultural Transition Plan provides opportunities for new people to enter agriculture and we want to attract bright new talent to help deliver a sustainable and productive agriculture sector.

We are currently piloting different approaches to providing support to new entrants to build entrepreneurial capacity and increase their opportunities to access land and finance. We launched these pilots in November last year and our pilot partners have just finished recruiting participants. The pilots will run to April and then be evaluated, prior to deciding the next steps in the autumn.

We are also supporting The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture with seed funding as they establish themselves as a new professional body providing skills and career support for the agriculture and horticulture industries. They are actively looking at how they can support new farmers and new farming businesses.

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