Chair: Christopher Price, Rare Breeds Survival Trust
Vice Chair: Alice Groom, RSPB
Link: Hannah Conway, Policy Officer
The Government announced their Agricultural Transition Plan in 2020, which set out the general direction of travel for food, farming and land management until 2024, including the flagship policy Environmental Land Management. To measure the progress of the transition, Link produced its ‘Key Principles for the Agricultural Transition’.
Almost one year into the transition and the ambition of Environmental Land Management still needs to be amped up significantly, particularly for the Sustainable Farming Incentive, if we are to meet our climate and environmental goals.
Link contributed to the recently published National Audit Office report on Environmental Land Management, which highlighted that as yet, there are still a lack of clear overarching objectives for the scheme. Link are also pushing for a much greater focus on delivery of integrated outcomes and whole-system approaches that enable production of sustainable food and timber whilst delivering tangible benefits for people, nature and climate.
Furthermore, while Defra has begun to assess the agricultural regulatory and enforcement system, their plans for reform - as recommended by Dame Glenys Stacey in 2018- are still urgently needed to underpin investment of public money.
For further information, contact Hannah Conway, Link’s Policy Officer.
Last updated: 5.10.21
