Agriculture

Chair: Barnaby Coupe, The Wildlife Trusts
Vice Chair: Alice Groom, RSPB
Link: Hannah Blitzer, Senior Policy Officer

Update from the group:

Link continues to call for ambitious farm payments under the Government’s flagship ‘Environmental Land Management’ (ELM) policy such as its contribution to net zero, or a minimum threshold of 10% of farmland managed for nature.

Currently, eligible farmers and land managers can sign up to the ELM schemes. However, outstanding concerns remain over the delivery of ELM and access to the schemes alongside appropriate advice. Defra recently announced changes to ELM under its recent Agricultural Transition Plan Update. The expanded offer for the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme was announced in May 2024. You can find Link’s original key recommendations for the ELMS here. Link has built on these recommendations and outlined 5 Asks for ELMS under the new Government. 

Furthermore, while Defra has begun to assess the agricultural regulatory and enforcement system, this presently only centres around nutrient management, slurry and hedgerows and does not address the broader recommendations made by Dame Glenys Stacey in 2018, which are still urgently needed to underpin investment of public money at value for money for the taxpayer. There are also outstanding concerns around the end to cross compliance from 1 January 2024. You can read a blog detailing these issues here. In 2024, Link is calling for improved regulations on intensive livestock farming, including reforms to permitting rules.

The Agriculture Group works in coalition with other groups on agricultural peatland, climate change and the farming sector, the Sustainable Nitrogen Alliance, and building the consensus on food, farming and nature. It also continues to support other Link working groups to promote access to the countryside, protect natural habitats and wildlife species through nature-friendly and agroecological farming practices. 

For further information, contact Hannah Blitzer, Link’s Senior Policy Officer on Agriculture.

Last updated: October 2024