Environmentalists and farmers unite to urge Government to avoid hammer blow to nature and food security

Defra’s budget has been rumoured to be on the chopping block in the Comprehensive Spending Review. Multiple environmental regulators were called into Downing Street by the Chancellor just last week, with Natural England, who have a major role in agri-environment schemes, expected to lose 200 jobs. Nature groups and farmers are concerned that cuts to the nature-friendly farming budget – which makes up the lion’s share of

Defra’s spending - will potentially be trailed in the Spring Statement this week.

Not only would environmentalists and farmers object to such cuts due to the damage they would cause, they would also be likely to be unpopular with the public too. New YouGov polling for Wildlife and Countryside Link has shown that only 13% of the public think the Government made the right decision in suspending the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) recently. [2]

The new YouGov polling, commissioned by Wildlife and Countryside Link, has also revealed that a significant majority of Brits feel that increased nature-friendly farming grants would have a positive impact. With 51% saying food security would be positively impacted by increased grants, and a further 73% saying wildlife, and 57% saying rural communities, would benefit. 69%, 70% and 56% said respectively that river, soil and air pollution would be positively affected.

Environmentalists and farmers are united in their belief that any cuts to the farming budget would massively hamper the Government’s ability to meet its legally binding nature and climate targets, and the ability to transition to a sustainable, globally competitive food and farming sector. In fact, all the research points to the need to significantly increase food, farming and nature funding to meet Government targets.

Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: “Defra is among the smallest, poorest Departments in Government, but it faces the biggest challenges—restoring our natural world, and supporting a rapid shift to wildlife-friendly food production. If the Chancellor cuts the wildlife friendly farming budget it would make a complete fantasy of plans to both restore nature by 2030 and create a competitive, sustainable farming sector.”

“The Sustainable Farming Incentive recently closed because demand massively outstripped the budget. The number of contracts for nature-friendly farming schemes has fallen. Budget cuts would hurt struggling farming families, scupper climate action and cause further damage to polluted rivers, damaged hedgerows, farmland birds, and pollinators.”

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said, “Thousands of farmers across the country have signed up to government schemes – which were designed to replace the old EU agricultural support mechanisms and to provide environmental services for society – and thousands more were planning to, only to discover that applications closed suddenly overnight. This puts the vital work being done by farmers and growers as stewards of the countryside at risk, from delivering healthier soils to new habitat for wildlife, all while producing the nation’s food.

“If government really seeks to end short-term economic policy-making, then it must confirm a multi-year future farming budget which is adequate to deliver government goals. Any cuts to the agriculture budget will make it impossible for government to deliver its commitments to support a sustainable, productive farming sector.”

Beccy Speight, RSPB chief executive, said: “Any short-sighted cuts to the farming budget today undoubtedly means more pain tomorrow. To have sustainable farm businesses that not only provide our food but also help the UK meet its legally binding climate and nature targets we must protect, and ideally increase, investment in nature-friendly farming.

“Farmers need to be at the heart of this complex and vital challenge but that won’t happen without long-term commitments and sufficient financial support. The UK Government says it won’t play fast and loose with public finances, yet it is doing exactly that with our environment, health, food security and wildlife.”

Hilary McGrady, Director-General at the National Trust said: “Investing in nature-friendly farming is not a nice to do – it’s essential to underpin food security and economic growth. And doing too little to address an already degraded environment could lead to GDP dropping 12 per cent in the coming years. While a short-term cut may seem to help the country’s finances it will only deepen the spending blackhole in future and lead to crucial nature and climate targets being missed along the way.

“The impact we have seen from funding that supports nature-friendly farming across our estate has already been transformational. It’s enabled many farmers to finally farm the way they want to and reshape the local environment to the benefit of the rural community and wildlife. Better farm funding means a brighter rural future and stability for farmers, cleaner rivers, more birds in the sky and more woodlands to walk through. The alternative is bleak.”

Martin Lines, CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, said: “Farmers are facing growing uncertainty and a sense of being continually undermined, especially following the sudden closure of the SFI. Many have been left without support or a clear route forward, just as they need to be planning ahead. People across the country can see the pressure farmers and wildlife are under, and recognise that both need support. The Chancellor must now do the same.

“Farmers are stewards of the land. Alongside producing food, they’re restoring nature, supporting climate solutions and sustaining rural communities. Any further cuts to the nature-friendly farming budget would be a hammer-blow – not just to farming, but to the government’s own environmental ambitions.”