NSA cautiously welcomes unveiling of future farming plan

30th November 2020

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is today cautiously welcoming the Environment Secretary George Eustice’s unveiling of the Government’s Agricultural Transition plan - ‘The Path to Sustainable Farming’, but is keen to see more detail worked up as a matter of urgency. 

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker comments: “Change is uncomfortable, particularly when farmers livelihoods depend on it, but we have known for the last four and a half years that change is coming, so the announcement of the planned transition for farmers and land managers in England is welcome - as is the fact that Defra has clearly been working hard to take on board the views of farming organisations such as NSA and many others.

“There is a long way to go before we can be confident of the final outcomes of these huge changes in the way the Government supports farmers, and it is going to be really important for the industry and Defra/ Government to keep reminding ourselves that the next seven years still need to be about learning and fine-tuning schemes, or even more radical change where appropriate. We need more detail and look forward to working closely with Defra over the future months and years, putting flesh on the bones of the skeleton of what the Secretary of State has announced today.”

Bryan Griffiths, Devon sheep farmer and NSA Chairman says: “Many farmers will look at the plans released today and still ask what they will be doing differently tomorrow or even in 12 months’ time. As sheep producers and land managers, we require much greater detail if we are to create meaningful business plans for the future. Payment rates and the impact on management practices together with input costs and levels of output will all influence our decision making."

NSA welcomes the inclusion of key topics such as the exit scheme, incentives for new entrants, the ability to go beyond income foregone when rewarding farmers for environmental and animal welfare management, and the farm investment programme in the transition plan. 

However it is difficult to react to today’s publication of the plan further without knowing additional detail, and at this stage, NSA would simply remind Defra and Ministers that the English sheep farming sector is one that already engages closely with a form of regenerative farming in many ways and that the sector consists mainly of traditional enterprises where the innovation and technology spoken about in the plans needs to be relative and proportionate to the farming system.

The UK sheep industry is not a sector that has huge infrastructure projects or one that needs slurry stores or pollution control. It already has a close relationship with and commitment to creating diverse countryside, living with nature, supporting attractive communities, and bringing in new entrants to farming, and NSA’s strong belief is that this needs farm support programmes that enhance delivery and profitability of this rather than attempt to change it.

Mr Stocker concludes: “We also need to remember that we are embarking on a change in Government farm support policy at a time when there is still huge uncertainty over our markets and trade post January 1st 2021 when we finally leave the EU. With just over 30 days to go we still don’t know what our trade relationship will be.  For the sheep sector we know what the risks of suddenly adding 46% tariffs on the 35% of our production that goes to the EU would be and it is deeply concerning.”

The Agriculture Transition Plan 2021 to 2024 can be accessed here.

 

If you value the work NSA does to protect the interests of the UK sheep industry, consider supporting NSA by becoming a member today. Visit nationalsheep.org.uk/membership/ for details.