Future of farming in England
How the government will deliver changes to agricultural policy and land management schemes in England.
Defra is looking for farmers, growers and land managers to join a user panel to help improve guidance and services on GOV.UK. Find out more information and how to take part in research sessions.
The government is phasing out subsidies for land ownership and tenure, and improving the financial offer and services to farmers and land managers.
This page provides links to the latest agricultural policy changes and funding offers available.
Find out how the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) can work for you. Visit the:
Changes to agricultural policy
The Agricultural Transition Plan sets out the changes the government will make to agricultural policy.
It also covers what these changes will mean for farmers and land managers.
About ELM
The environmental land management (ELM) schemes will support the rural economy while achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and a commitment to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Read the latest updates on how ELM will work.
Apply for funding
The government continues to introduce offers to pay farmers and land managers to protect and improve the environment whilst increasing food production.
Find out how to apply for a wide range of grants and schemes including SFI and Countryside Stewardship (CS).
Ending of cross compliance
If you claimed rural payments between 2005 and 2023, you had to follow a set of rules called cross compliance.
Cross compliance ended on 31 December 2023. From 1 January 2024 regulations will continue to protect the environment, and animal health and welfare.
Find out what this means for you. Read more about the regulations you need to follow.
About the Farming and Countryside Programme
The Farming and Countryside Programme (FCP) is responsible for introducing the agricultural policy changes and funding offers.
Find out more about the programme’s progress.
Farming evidence and data analysis
Explore the data supporting the programme:
- agri-environment scheme uptake data collection
- Find farm and land payment data
- Magic maps for geospatial data
The Outcomes Indicator Framework for the 25 Year Environment Plan helps track FCP targets.
Find further evidence and evaluation reports:
- Defra science search
- cross-government Evaluation Registry
- Natural England access to evidence - farmers and land managers including the evidence annual report on ELM
Explore other farming data on the food, farming and bio-security statistics collection.
Updates to this page
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Added new section on farming evidence and data analysis.
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Added call for farmers, growers and land managers to join a user panel to help improve guidance and services on GOV.UK.
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Added 2023-2024 FCP Annual Report.
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Added section on the ending of cross compliance.
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First published.