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“I am pleased to announce that this year we will be working with hundreds of farmers across the country to pilot the Sustainable Farming Incentive, and that we will be inviting expressions of interest in the coming weeks.
“The Sustainable Farming Incentive will support approaches to farm husbandry that help the environment. That might include promoting integrated pest management, and actions to improve soil health or water quality.”
George Eustice begins his address at #NFU21 by saying that the challenges of the past year are a reminder that domestic food production makes up a critical component of our nation’s food security. pic.twitter.com/AYR4W6IZMd
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) February 23, 2021
The announcement came as Mr Eustice set out a three-stage centrepiece of future policy: the Sustainable Farming Incentive, Local Nature Recovery and Landscape Recovery.
Emphatic that Brexit will be the dawn of a more positive era for UK farming, Mr Eustice promised much less administrative burden for farmers going forward, saying: “The ethos at the heart of our future policy is to support the choices of individual farm enterprises. The era of top-down EU rules is over. Some assets that were previously dubbed ‘ineligible features’ under the CAP, will start to have their value recognised.”
Mr Eustice confirmed that details on how to register interest in taking part in the Sustainable Farming Incentive pilot would be published in March, with the aim to expand the scheme in future years. He also assured farmers that they will have any details they need by the end of June to allow time for adequate preparation for scheme implementation.
Secretary of State George Eustice says that “new payments and incentives will reward?farmers for farming more sustainably, creating space for nature on their?land, enhancing animal health and welfare and reducing carbon emissions.” @DefraGovUK
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) February 23, 2021
#NFU21 pic.twitter.com/2QUpTZUzYg
Concluding, Mr Eustice said: “We want farmers to be able to access the money and the advice they need to help them contribute to our net zero target, protect and restore the environment, and improve animal health and welfare on the land they manage – as well as helping their businesses become more productive and sustainable.
“We want to support confidence in UK food internationally, prevent environmental harm, and protect biosecurity and animal health and welfare. And we want to support the choices that farmers and land managers take on their holdings, so we will work with you all to refine and develop the schemes we bring forward.”
More from NFU21:
- NFU21: Level up rural Britain to turbocharge Britain's green economy
- NFU21: Watch Prime Minister Boris Johnson's exclusive message for NFU members
- NFU21: Labour leader lays out how he would #BackBritishFarming
- NFU21: International Trade Minister Liz Truss tells farmers to 'look east' for trade opportunities
- NFU21: Importance of future trade opportunities hammered home
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