Environmental Land Management Scheme: Food Production

Critiqued the complexity and bureaucracy of ELMS, noting that it will not work for everyone. Highlighted financial concerns and questioned how much money has been lost due to bureaucracy versus reaching frontline farmers. Emphasised the environmental crisis and sustainability goals while questioning market fundamentalist motivations behind the scheme.

He praised the countryside and farmers in West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for their environmental stewardship, highlighting the importance of balancing food production with biodiversity. Derek Thomas emphasized the need to support small farms, protect soil health, and promote careers in agriculture. He expressed concern that ELMS might discourage some farms from engaging properly.

Mr Duncan Baker highlighted concerns about the potential impact of the new Environmental Land Management Scheme on food production, emphasizing the importance of profitability for farmers and labour shortages in agriculture. He noted that strawberry growers in his constituency require foreign workers but have struggled to secure visas under current schemes.

Jim Shannon highlighted the importance of rural areas and farmers in his constituency, noting that Northern Ireland's farming community faces unique challenges. He called for reassurance from the government to protect long-term land tenure and food production, especially given the average farm size being between 70-90 acres. Shannon also raised concerns about the Common Agricultural Policy transition and the potential impact on small farmers in Northern Ireland.

Agrees with the need for improved food security but criticises government policy on cheap food imports from other countries, undermining support for domestic farmers. Supported the call for increased domestic food production, highlighting the importance of reversing import-export trends and bolstering home production while finding opportunities to export more British food.

The MP is concerned about the uncertainty surrounding future funding for farmers, particularly in the south-west where farms tend to be smaller. He criticises the potential strategy of larger farms and fewer farmers as it could undermine small farming and mental health among farmers. The MP also worries that focusing on imports rather than local food production will have a significant carbon cost in the long term.

The Department for International Trade, DEFRA and AHDB could promote British food globally to improve trade and food security. Farming payments are too small to encourage farmers into extra bureaucracy. The reduction of basic farm payment by half will impact many farms' viability. Prices are good but costs are high, which may lead to enhanced production contrary to government policy goals. I am delighting in the ancient history lesson, but can we be serious about the fact that we ought to judge production from after the war and from where we were in the 1970s and 1980s? We need to get that production up.

Farmers across Dorset and beyond are concerned about the Government's replacement of the basic payment scheme with the Environmental Land Management Scheme, which they believe prioritises environmental outcomes over food production. The ELMS programme will see £800 million spent on taking land out of production for wildlife habitats, while the NFU predicts that 80% of grazing livestock farms could become unprofitable due to policy changes. Richard Drax urges an urgent review of DEFRA's future farming programme and calls for a temporary postponement of direct payment reductions in 2022-23.

Farmers in North West Durham are concerned that forestry cannot replace food production as they diversify. Forestry should be part of the solution but not a replacement for ensuring future food security. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that there is absolutely no point trying to do some of those things if all we are doing is offshoring our carbon emissions elsewhere? All that potential benefit is then eaten up in transportation costs, especially in sectors such as shipping and aviation, at the back end of decarbonisation at the moment.

Siobhan Baillie highlighted the importance of food production and security, stressing that farmers earn very little. She mentioned Jeremy Clarkson's efforts to highlight the struggles faced by farmers. The NFU survey showed 84% interest in ELMS among farmers but also noted hesitation due to lack of organisation and support from DEFRA and RPA. Some farmers have dropped out of the sustainable farming incentive pilot, citing lack of timely information. Baillie emphasized that food security needs to be prioritised and stressed the importance of wetlands for carbon capture.

Mr Farron expressed concerns about the reduction in food production capacity since leaving the EU, emphasising that farmers are crucial for environmental initiatives. He highlighted a 10% decrease in domestic food production over two decades and warned of further decline due to poor transition from Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) to ELMS. Mr Farron argued that without financial support, many farmers will leave their livelihoods, reducing national food security and hampering environmental efforts.