The British Government's landmark agriculture bill was presented to the UK Parliament in January this year, providing a boost to the industry "after years of inefficient and overly bureaucratic policy dictated to farmers by the EU."

According to UK DEFRA, "The bill will strengthen our farmers and land managers, and ensure that we can adequately reward them for the good work they do. The bill will help farmers stay competitive, increase productivity, invest in new technology and seek a fairer return on the market. "

Starting next year, farmers will have a seven-year transition period to adapt to a new farming system. More details will be announced at the end of November.

The Farm Bill sets out how farmers and land managers in England will in the future be rewarded with public money for 'public goods', such as better air and water quality, thriving wildlife, soil health or measures to reduce flooding and address the effects. of climate change, under the Environmental Territorial Planning scheme. These incentives will provide a powerful vehicle to achieve the goals of the government's 25-year Environmental Plan and our commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

This new system will replace the "poorly targeted" Basic Payment Scheme subsidy system, which largely pays farmers for the total amount of cultivated land and has skewed payments towards the largest owners, rather than rewarding farmers. for any specific public benefit.

At the same time, the bill includes measures designed to help our farmers and land managers increase their productivity and ultimately maximize our land's potential to produce high-quality food in a more sustainable way.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “Our historic Farm Bill will transform the way we support farmers. The funds released as a result of the phasing out of the inherited Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) will be reinvested in an implementation of our future agricultural policy, which will focus on support aimed at incentivizing sustainable agricultural practices, creating habitats for the recovery of the nature and supporting the establishment of new forests and other ecosystem services to help address challenges such as climate change. We will support farmers to reduce costs and improve profitability, to help those who want to retire or leave the industry to do so with dignity, and to create new opportunities and support for new entrants entering the industry. "

The government will now be able to further advocate for food production by improving transparency and equity in the supply chain from farm to fork, as well as keeping our world-famous food producers competitive and innovative by investing in the latest technology. and research.

The government will also report on UK food safety to Parliament every three years. The first report will be published at the end of next year and will include an analysis of the food supply impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as a wide range of topics including global food availability, food security and consumer confidence. consumer.

In order to spend more of the annual budget for agriculture on increasing productivity and environmental benefits, Direct Payments will be phased out during an agricultural transition period, beginning with the Basic Payment Scheme year 2021 and running through the end of 2027. This annual budget for Support to Agriculture will be maintained throughout the years of this Parliament, providing certainty and stability before the transition to the new system.

This will allow farmers and land managers the time they need to adjust to the new approach and consider which component of the new environmental land management scheme will work best for their farm.

Farmers and land managers will also be able to apply for alternative support during this time, with productivity grants to be offered next year and with field management schemes that will remain open to new applications in the early years of the agricultural transition period, lo It will help farmers to springboard towards the next land environmental management plan.