Thank you for contacting me about the UK’s future agricultural policy and support for farmers.
My ministerial colleagues and I recognise the valuable work of our farmers across the country and the Government is committed to supporting the farming industry and our rural communities. The Government’s manifesto guaranteed the current average levels of investment in farming of £2.4 billion a year in England over this parliament.
The Environmental Land Management Schemes will pay for sustainable farming practices, improving animal health and welfare, reducing carbon emissions, creating and preserving habitat, and making landscape-scale environmental changes. Ministers are also improving the way rules around farming and the countryside are set and controlled, aiming to take a more collaborative, less bureaucratic approach in developing the schemes' administration.
Further, the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway sets out how the Government and farmers will work together to continually improve the health and welfare of farmed animals. Through the Pathway, funding will be provided for a visit by a vet-led team to carry out a yearly on-farm review of animal health and welfare. This includes carrying out diagnostic testing, reviewing biosecurity and the use of medicines, providing bespoke advice on actions to improve health and welfare.
Ministers have announced that £34 million of funding will be provided through the Slurry Infrastructure Grant for new and expanded covered slurry stores in the highest priority areas of England, such as protected nature sites in unfavourable conditions. The Government will also facilitate organic fertiliser use through new fertiliser product laws, which help to give buyers confidence on nutrient content, contaminant risk and other features of products derived from manures.
Recognising the increased pressure on cash flow to farmers, I am aware that Defra decided to bring forward 50 per cent of the BPS payment for 2022 as an advance injection of cash to farm businesses from the end of July 2022. Further, I understand that Ministers intend to make this a permanent change to the way BPS is paid in the future, with twice yearly installments going forward.
The Government’s Food Strategy commits to broadly maintaining the current level of food we produce domestically and increasing production in key sectors. I am aware that £168 million is being made available in grants to drive innovation, support food production, improve animal health and welfare, as well as protect the environment.
Locally on the Island, I am keen to champion the local suppliers and producers. We need to buy locally and use local produce that doesn’t come wrapped in plastic from many miles away.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.