Government urged to back farming reforms
A seven-point plan to boost nature-friendly farming has been put to MPs this week, Athwenna Irons reports
AFARMER-LED organisation which champions sustainable food production has unveiled its manifesto ahead of what it is calling a “crucial” UK general election for the future of agriculture.
The Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN) has come up with a seven-point plan it is asking the next Government to implement to ensure there is a positive future for food production and the protection of nature.
The NFFN says its vision for the future involves food security being assured, farm businesses being successful and profitable and landscapes thriving with an abundance of biodiversity. This, it says, will “ensure the agriculture sector remains viable and is ready to face the challenges of climate change”.
It is asking for widespread reform of farming to benefit nature-friendly food production, including a fairer market for farmers and ambitious financial support packages to help businesses and people through the agricultural transition to a more environmentally-friendly way of working.
Martin Lines, chief executive of the NFFN, said: “The next UK parliament will preside over a critical time for farming. The stakes at this general election are very high and we need politicians to step up and start delivering for food, farming and nature.
“Our manifesto contains ambitions and ideas which will help political parties address many of our biggest societal challenges while also delivering a better farming future. We need a viable, long-term vision that enables farm businesses to remain profitable and produce high-quality, healthy food in ways that also meet our country’s goals for climate mitigation and nature’s recovery.
“We need a fairer market for both farmers and consumers and support for farmers to play their part in delivering improvements to our wider landscapes, such as better water quality.
“MPs urgently need to increase the scale of their ambitions for a better future. Our seven key asks provide one way that they can deliver on this.”
The seven key asks in the NFFN’s UK general election manifesto are:
A fit-for-purpose agriculture budget to support all farmers to transition to more sustainable, nature-friendly farming practices;
A fair and transparent supply chain so farmers get a better deal and price for their produce;
Core trading standards so UK farmers are not under-cut by food imports from countries with lower standards around animal welfare and environmental protection;
Action to support people to enjoy healthier and more sustainable diets;
Ambitious schemes which make nature-friendly farming easy, profitable and the obvious choice for farmers;
Better regulation to stop poor practices in agriculture and ensure farmers are working on a level playing field;
Building the support and advice, skills and knowledge needed to help farmers across the country make the transition to a nature-friendly approach.
The NFFN says it has not yet seen a manifesto from a UK political party which meets its goals of creating a food system that “feeds people well and pays farmers fairly”, while also protecting nature and biodiversity.
Recent extreme weather events have also increased the organisation’s focus on the importance of making farms resilient in the face of climate change, Mr Lines added. “Agriculture is currently reeling from a wet winter which caused widespread flooding, while 2023 saw the wettest October of the 21st century and the hottest June on record.”