This is a subscriber-only article
The UK’s department of environment, food and rural affairs is to make practical and pragmatic changes to existing farm support systems post-Brexit, Michael Gove, the UK Environment secretary has said.
Gove was speaking at the Country Land and Business Association’s (CLA) annual Rural Business Conference.
He said that the changes will streamline the process to free up farmers to focus on what they do best.
“I have set out plans to improve our current schemes, starting with simplifying support for farmers to protect and enhance our landscapes and countryside.
“But these measures are just the beginning; the first steps towards a simplified system of support.
“Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be working closely with our farmers to make sure we listen to what they want as we design a new approach and realise our vision for the future of UK food and farming outside the EU.”
Gove said that the current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) system of “farm support is inefficient, ineffective, inequitable, and environmentally harmful”.
He said changes need to be made to the way the UK invests in the countryside so farmers can more readily access support to protect wildlife, enhance the environment and improve land use.
Simplifications
As a first step, Gove announced simplifications to the Countryside Stewardship scheme through the creation of four new streamlined offers which will launch in January next year.
According to DEFRA, these new offers will have a much simpler application process – half as much paperwork as before – so it will be easier for farmers and land managers to apply and deliver environmental benefits on their land. More details on these offers are to become available later this week.
SHARING OPTIONS: