Farmers criticise lack of food prioritisation in Defra plan

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The NFU has criticised the government’s new Environmental Impact Plan

Farming groups have criticised the lack of food production prioritisation in the government’s newly announced Environmental Impact Plan.

The government said nature restoration and growth would be prioritised under its new plans, with an “ambitious roadmap” to restore the environment, £500m towards Landscape Recovery projects, and new commitments to tackle “forever chemicals”.

It said that the previous iteration of the EIP “lacked rigour, accountability and detail”, and hailed its own plan as a “clear and detailed pathway” to restore the country’s natural environment.

The NFU, however, has warned that the EIP leaves “unanswered questions about how the ambitions align with food production”.

In a statement, it called for food production to be given the same prioritisation to ensure the plan goes “hand in hand with the sustainable, secure supply of food”.

“The clear direction from Defra is that they need farmers to deliver for the environment and farmers stand ready to do just that,” said NFU president Tom Bradshaw. “What farmers need from Defra in return is similar clarity on the importance of domestic food production and a policy framework that supports that.”

He added: ”We need polices that enable farm businesses to produce food, strengthen food security, and achieve the government’s own ambition of improving farm profitability alongside these environmental goals.”

Noting the planned Landscape Recovery projects, Bradshaw raised concerns about them combining government funding with private investment. He said attracting private investors had been challenging for farmers, which posed questions about how farmers could confidently involve their businesses in the projects.

The NFU has also called for certainty over the Sustainable Farming Incentive and for the creation of a multifunctional Land Use Framework to give “food production equal priority over environmental delivery”.

“We also need clear targets for British food production, because a resilient food system is not just an ambition, it’s a necessity,” said Bradshaw. “This will go a long way in giving farmers the clarity that they need from Defra and confidence to the public who tell us time and time again that they want to buy British.”

The NFU was joined in its criticism of the EIP by the Soil Association, which asserted farmers would need to be given more confidence to help the government bring 40% of England’s agricultural soils into sustainable management by 2028.

“New soil, nutrient and pesticide targets are welcome, and the headline funding is significant,” said Brendan Costelloe, Soil Association’s policy and strategy director.

“However, without a clearly ringfenced budget for the Sustainable Farming Incentive and dedicated support for nature-friendly farming – including an Organic Action Plan, as in almost every other European country, now including Scotland – we won’t bring more nature back on to the farmland that makes up the vast majority of the country, and we won’t meet the Environment Act targets.”

Defra said the new projects would open new income streams for farmers and landowners and allow for “increased ambition”.

“Britain’s rolling hills and stunning coastline are treasures we must protect for generations to come,” said environment secretary Emma Reynolds. “I am determined to reverse nature’s decline and build a brighter, greener future.

“Our new plan delivers the bold action needed to create nature-rich habitats, clean up our air and waterways, and restore the natural world we all enjoy.”