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Agriculture Bill: Introduction
16 January 2020
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
At a Glance
Issue Summary
Theresa Villiers introduces the Government's Agriculture Bill to address the future of agriculture in England post-Brexit.
Action Requested
The Agriculture Bill will replace the Common Agricultural Policy with a new system that rewards farmers for environmental enhancement and high animal welfare standards, introduce a seven-year transition period, and include provisions for organic farming, fertiliser regulations, marketing standards, and agricultural tenancies. It also respects devolved administrations' powers to design policies specific to their regions.
Key Facts
- Nearly three-quarters of land in England is farmed.
- The Common Agricultural Policy awarded subsidies based on the size of individual land holdings.
- The top 10% of CAP recipients received almost 50% of payments while the bottom 20% received just 2%.
- The Agriculture Bill will enable a seven-year agricultural transition in England.
- It will pay public money for delivery of public goods such as clean air and water.
- New UK-wide provisions on organics and fertiliser regulations will be included.
- The Scottish Government has chosen not to take any powers under the Bill.
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