‘Green Brexit’ bill to see farmers paid for adapting to environmentally-friendly measures

Government plan will phase out current system of subsidies paid for amount of land farmed

Farmers will be paid for "public goods" such as curbing flooding and improving access to the countryside after Brexit, under a new Agriculture Bill.

The current system of subsidies paid for the amount of land being farmed will be phased out over a seven-year period between 2021 and 2027, the Government said.

There will be a shift towards "environmental land management contracts" which could span several years and see farmers paid for improving air and water quality, boosting wildlife and habitats and tackling climate change.

The move has been praised by environmental groups as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to reshape farming policy to protect the environment.

Other measures set out by the Agriculture Bill, which sets out legislation mostly for England, will make payments available for providing public access to land, tackling problems such as floods and protecting the historic rural environment and landscapes.

Farmers could be paid for work ranging from providing nectar plots for pollinating insects to replacing gates to help access the countryside.

The Government wants farmers to be rewarded for the value of benefits they provide to people and the environment, rather than, as now, just compensated for the income they lose for carrying out environmental measures.

Tanya Steele, CEO of WWF, welcomed the bill. She said: “Rewarding farmers for good environmental practices can be one of the best ways to make our soil healthier, save our wildlife and reduce pollution into our rivers.

“The public overwhelmingly want farmers to be paid to protect our nature — over 90 percent according to a recent poll conducted by WWF.”

She added: “This bill, if properly implemented, is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make sure we have a farming policy that restores rather than destroys our natural land.”

The Agriculture Bill aims to provide simpler, more locally-focused schemes than at the moment, in which farmers decide how to deliver the environmental benefits they are paid for.

In 2021, reductions in payments from the European Union's common agricultural policy (CAP) will free up to around £150 million to invest in piloting the new environmental schemes and investing in research and development, the Government said.

Payments could also be available for farmers to invest in new technologies and methods that boost productivity, and there will be pilots for schemes to boost animal welfare.

Direct payments will be separated from the requirement to farm the land and several years' worth could be paid in a single lump sum, which will give farmers money to invest in their business, diversify or even retire from farming.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said: "After nearly 50 years of being tied to burdensome and outdated EU rules, we have an opportunity to deliver a Green Brexit.

"This Bill will allow us to reward farmers who protect our environment, leaving the countryside in a cleaner, greener and healthier state for future generations.

"Critically, we will also provide the smooth and gradual transition that farmers and land managers need to plan ahead."

Speaking in response to the bill, Martin Lines, chairman of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said: “This Agricultural Bill is a fair deal for farmers and the tax payer.

“Investing in a land management plan that pays farmers for providing environmental benefits means farmers can adapt to more sustainable farming practices and deliver the nation’s food not just for today, but for generations to come.”

Mr Lines praised the proposals and urged the Government to provide "long-term certainty on future funding".

The Government has pledged to maintain current funding levels for farming support until the end of this Parliament, expected in 2022, but the amount of money available in the following years has not yet been outlined.

“It will be challenging for many farmers to adapt, but many farmers have been leading the way for years and want to produce great food from a countryside bursting with wildlife,” Mr Lines said.

“This Bill is a crucial first step towards a better future for farmers and nature”

Press Association