Independent report

Farming Profitability Review 2025: Foreword and Executive summary

Published 18 December 2025

1. Foreword

One of my earliest childhood memories was wanting to run my own farming business. 25 years ago, that dream came true. I started farming on 300 acres, with a small herd of beef suckler cows, as a tenant on the Longford Estate in South Wiltshire with two derelict cottages, a few ramshackle buildings, and next-to-no fencing.

Today, and with my landlord’s support, our small family run farming business has grown considerably. We have a Spring and Autumn calving beef suckler herd, grow spring barley and pick-your-own flowers, alongside a wedding venue and holiday cottages. My decision to accept the invitation to lead the Farm Profitability Review was not one I took lightly. Nearly everyone I spoke to thought it was a bad idea, citing there was little I could do, and my reputation would be damaged. Having applied and been accepted to be a Crossbench Peer, to influence our national life, it seemed totally wrong to walk away from farming at this time. In the end, I asked my neighbouring farmers Will Dickson and Edward Parsons what they thought I should do. Both were adamant that I should lead the review. When I asked them what they wanted, Edward said, “All I want is to feel valued for being a farmer” and “I want you to put the ‘Great’ back into British Food.” That is what I have set out to do.

In my time at the NFU the one question, that often had a recurring negative answer from Whitehall, was asking if farming matters. The answer often was, “no, because it’s only 0.6% of GDP” (Gross Domestic Product). Whether farming matters and how it’s valued is fundamental to the future of farming in England and across the United Kingdom.

Having left the European Union (EU) without a plan for farming. There were three choices for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to choose from. Firstly, the farming budget could be used to regulate the environment; we could import more food, produced at lower standards, have less farmers, but resulting in more monoculture farming. Secondly, government could allow farmers to become globally competitive; farm unsubsidised, but on a level playing field with the rest of the world. The third option is to find middle ground, by developing a strategy to start the 25-year Farming Roadmap to drive more profitable farming, in a way that also delivers government priorities, benefits taxpayers and consumers. This has been the aim of the Farming Profitability Review (FPR).

I was appointed to lead the Farming Profitability Review in April 2025 by the previous Defra Secretary of State, the Rt Hon Steve Reed. My task was to provide expert opinion to Defra on matters relating to farm profitability, for the short, medium, and long-term. I was to provide input to the Food Strategy, Farming Roadmap and the Land Use Framework as well as wider government missions and priorities, including economic growth. The recommendations were to be consistent with the UK Carbon Budget Framework, as set out in the Climate Change Act, the Environmental Improvement Plan 2023 and to consider alignment with net zero objectives.

I’m greatly indebted to the many farmers, growers, supply chain representatives and food and farming businesses across England and the UK who have engaged with this review and submitted their experience of blockages and solutions to profitability. They have contributed recommendations on a sector basis, but also on cross-cutting issues. The FPR is for England only but, where appropriate, I have spoken to representatives who would inform the views of Devolved Administrations, to provide UK-wide recommendations.

I have been clear from the start; there is no silver bullet to achieve farming profitability.

Farming is as diverse as our landscape, and the problems submitted have varied enormously sector-by-sector. Added to which, much of the country has suffered from extreme drought this summer, building on a recurring pattern of ever-more-extreme weather.

One thing all sectors have in common is a sharp rise in fixed costs. Energy costs have risen significantly since the start of the Agricultural Transition. Wage costs are up, as are rises in National Insurance Contributions, and new farm machinery prices are up 31%. The uncertainty surrounding the closure of applications to Sustainable Farming Incentive Scheme (SFI) and the proposed changes to inheritance tax on family farming businesses have together created significant ongoing concern. Some farmers, particularly in the arable sector, are questioning viability, let alone profitability.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast predicts input costs will be 30% higher in 2026 than they were in 2020. The Farming Budget was never increased for inflation when we were part of the EU. The £2.4 billion figure for farming in England has been almost the same since 2007.

Yet, against this backdrop of huge cost pressures farmers and growers in England are being asked to do more to be compliant with environmental legislation and regulation, with less funding and no certainty.

The Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) will continue to set Defra’s budget. Given the enormous strain public finances are under there is no guarantee that future funding will even remain at the existing level.

In my last year leading the National Farmers Union (NFU), independent economic analysis showed an estimated £4 billion would be needed in England to comply with new environmental legislation, regulation and policies, put in place by the previous government.

On the evidence I have, it would in my opinion be irresponsible not to recommend change. The economic funding models of the past are not fit for the future. Since the last financial crash in 2009, the UK has taken a relatively relaxed approach to food security, often using the line that “the UK is a wealthy country and can afford to import its food.” UK Governments have a long and regrettable history of embracing and abandoning whether our national food security is important.

This government has made a commitment that food security is national security. This is an important first principle to establish but it needs to be implemented and embedded, with a long-term plan for farming and food production, that sits alongside restoring natures recovery.

Previously, as a member of the EU, the UK worked within and abided by the Common Framework. Now, regardless of future alignment with the EU, the UK is an independent trading nation. We negotiate our own trade deals, take responsibility for our own workforce, and develop our own legislation, regulation and policies. The first step for achieving farming profitability is setting a policy and regulatory framework that achieves balance between food production and the environment, in a measurable way.

In a few years, the UK will have a fully liberalised trading relationship with Australia and New Zealand. We will also have potential to import more produce from other countries in the Transpacific Trading Bloc. More recent trade deals with the United States of America (USA) and India will also start to take effect.

While these trade deals have been negotiated abiding by Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) this only covers rules on food safety, plant and animal health and biosecurity. SPS rules do not cover ‘food values’ for animal welfare and environmental protection. In England there is new and existing, legally binding legislation that farmers and growers in the UK must abide by.

Given these changes, we need a ‘New Deal for Profitable Farming’ that recognises the true cost of producing food and delivering for the environment. It can best be achieved by developing a meaningful national plan and partnership with government, in line with countries like New Zealand, Australia, the USA and Ireland. Farmers don’t want handouts from the state, they want nothing more than to run thriving, profitable farming businesses, by earning a fair return for what they produce.

Our network of agri-food and drink attachés are busy opening market access for UK produce, most recently apples to India. Yet despite British Apples and Pears plans for growth, we still don’t have a single apple out to India. In the meantime, our new trading partners bring their equivalent of Tom Bradshaw (NFU President) to our Parliament for meetings. This summer Zippy Duvall President of the American Farm Bureau was here. The New Zealand trade delegation bring their farmer representatives too, they arrive in smart Black fleeces, branded with the silver fern, opening every conversation with; “these are the three things we want to talk to you about”.

The UK should be doing the same. Every trade delegation like the recent one to India, led by the Prime Minister, should have a farmer representative from each of the Devolved Administrations, sitting alongside the best of British businesses. Selling more British and Welsh lamb, British and Scotch beef, Northern Ireland pork and English apples and cheese to international markets.

The UK is widely regarded as one of the most prized food markets in the world. The USA has previously said it is a market with “untapped potential”. This is why we need government, Defra and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) working together to be as ambitious as our new trading partners are for their farmers.

It’s worth remembering that the UK for many years, has had the third most affordable food, per income spend of any country in the world. What I’ve set out in this review is not just about growth and profitability, it’s about a fundamental reset of how we value food and farming. Our health is deteriorating, the National Health Service (NHS) is struggling to cope, a large part of this problem is the foods we are eating. We have an opportunity, a duty, to enable a dietary step change, by restoring ‘whole foods’ as the foundation of our national diet.

The intrinsic metric for the 10 Year Health Plan for England should be increasing sales of fresh whole food, grown here, including the production and consumption of more fruit and vegetables.

Farming is our only remaining primary manufacturing sector that still exists in every county across the country. Farmers by their very nature are entrepreneurs and together we will all benefit from growing, creating and selling more of what we’re good at. British-grown wood for house builders, sustainable fuel, wool for insulation and sustainable rope to remove plastic from our rivers and oceans. Bio-refineries, to make biodegradable packaging out of plant waste. British environmental horticulture, growing more hedging plants, bulbs and flowers. Planting more orchards, together, creating beautiful green spaces for everyone, everywhere.

We need a ‘National Plan for Farming,’ one that stretches across government departments, recognising the importance of teaching our children about food and cooking in school. We need a curriculum that embraces agriculture as part of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning, inspiring the next generation to be the farmers, food technologists, nutritionists, and agronomists of the future.

In an age of global insecurity and cyber-attacks, building local food resilience is equally essential to support our national, just-in-time food distribution network.

Responses to the review show that farmers and growers, supply chain representatives, and food and farming businesses want certainty and hope for the future. For many years, farmers have felt government, and the machinery of different governments, has not been on their side. We can change this, but it needs both farmers and government to unite on the common cause they both share. That isn’t about always agreeing, it’s about establishing a new way-of-working and that will mean change for all involved.

Finally, my thanks to the small team in Defra who have worked tirelessly with me to bring this review together. Thanks to those that have drafted comprehensive input sector-by-sector. To the many that have sat through lengthy meetings, advancing solutions. This review is your work. I have been fortunate to have convened the discussion, and for that I can only convey my thanks to the Defra Secretary of State (SoS), Rt Hon Emma Reynolds MP for her continuing support.

2. Executive summary

Farming is the backbone of our rural communities and is fundamental to keeping the UK fed and healthy. Farmers are the custodians of over 70% of the UK’s total land area. The farming sector is also a bedrock contributor to the UK’s economy, directly providing over 400,000 jobs in 2024 (see Annex 6.2), frequently in areas where other employment opportunities are limited. It directly contributes £10.5 billion to the UK’s economy (Gross Value Added (GVA), 2024). No other sector’s impact is felt so broadly and by so many. It touches every one of us, every day.

But its direct impact is only part of the story. It underpins and enables a far larger UK agri-food supply chain worth £150 billion (GVA, 2024) or 6% of the total UK economy while generating 4.2 million jobs, from manufacturing to retail and catering, which is 13% of all employment in Great Britain (GB). UK farming also helps generate £25 billion (2024) in food, drink and feed exports with the rest of the world. Without a strong, profitable domestic farming sector, we are not food secure, having to rely on frequently volatile international markets for the food we eat. Currently we produce only 65% (2024) of all food purchased domestically and in recent decades UK farming has supplied a decreasing proportion of the UK’s food, falling from 78% in 1984.

Responses to the Farm Profitability Review, show that farmers and growers are feeling firsthand the impacts of volatility, extreme weather and rising input costs. Many are currently facing huge economic challenges to produce high quality, affordable food and meet environmental demands. Lack of clarity on finances and policy is leaving many farmers I’ve spoken to questioning the viability of their farming business. But the overriding message I’ve received from farmers, is that they are deeply committed to their farms, they want farming to be a success and to leave their farm in a better place for the next generation.

The core focus of my recommendations is to restore balance between food production and the environment. They should be treated as two sides of the same coin.

2.1 Farming is different to any other part of our economy

Unlike other sectors, farming and growing food within our natural environment, has different associated costs and challenges, some of which can be controlled, but not all of them can be. Whether it’s purchases of inputs, decisions on breeding for livestock and dairy, planting an orchard, or growing a crop. Many of these decisions are often made two or more years in advance of selling anything. A lot can happen in a year, as the last few years have proved.

Food is something none of us can do without, and it’s for this reason agriculture is often subsidised in one way or another; avoiding food inflation for consumers, by managing risk and volatility for farmers.

Subsidy across the world comes in different forms; USA farm policy is underpinned by the multi-billion-dollar Farm Bill. If needed, it provides substantial crop insurance to farmers. Competition Law in the USA also allows government intervention in the market to iron out volatility. This is unlike UK Competition Law which prohibits government intervention, and discussions on price. For example, in 2007 there were near-record fines of more than £116 million for supermarkets and processors when their actions, designed to get a few pence extra to dairy farmers, were deemed to be collusion and price fixing.

In the EU the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) managed some elements of risk and volatility via the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS). Historically, and evidence in the State of the Nation (Section 3), shows it has formed a significant part of on-farm profitability in England. Unlike Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, England has passed legislation to de-link the Defra budget from farming and is now nearing the end of the transition period. The EU legacy Fruit and Veg Aid Scheme (FVAS) is also closing in December 2025.

The criticism of BPS funding was that it benefited large landowners with more land farmed equating to more money received. However, to date, Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes have not proved to be any different in outcome. In the last Parliament, ELMs actively encouraged landowners not to farm, but instead to be funded by the taxpayer to deliver public goods. The more land in a scheme, the more money received.

It’s worth remembering the foundational values of the CAP; to support farmers and improve agricultural productivity, ensuring a stable supply of affordable food.

To do this, we can:

• safeguard EU farmers to make a reasonable living
• help tackle climate change and the sustainable management of natural resources
• maintain rural areas and landscapes across the EU
• keep the rural economy alive by promoting jobs in farming, agri-food industries and associated sectors

We’ve left the EU, but the UK must establish and embed its own principles and values, to achieve a thriving farming sector and rural economy in England. Alongside a meaningful framework for the UK internal market to operate in a fair and equitable way. Not slogans on a press release, but by working together to establish a co-ordinated food and farming strategy that delivers for farmers and society across the country.

From when ELMs were first developed, our world has changed inconceivably, with taxpayer investment now prioritised for defence and the NHS. Since leaving the EU, The Environment Act for England has raised the level of environmental and animal welfare legislation and regulation above that of the EU. This has come at considerable cost to some sectors and created great concern over the lack of a level playing field with the standards of imports.

2.2 Achieving certainty: profitable farming needs financial and policy certainty

In my recommendations, you will see there are some quick wins, including addressing the problems in the planning system, permitted development for on-farm reservoirs and stimulating farmer and growers’ confidence by improving access to finance and effective use of tax reliefs. However, short-term fixes, don’t deal with the long-term challenges. Access to a reliable workforce being the single biggest blockage to profitability in the horticulture sector.

The sheer number of ‘asks’ (over 400) I’ve received is symbolic of the problem and it is why my recommendations are based on setting out a new way-of-working. Following the example set by New Zealand and Ireland who both say, working in partnership is not important, it’s essential.

Ever since we merged the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), into Defra farmers have been trying to get farming back into the heart of the department. In conversation with Matt Naylor at Groundswell, we alighted on ‘FARM: Food Agriculture Rural Matters’. It isn’t MAFF, but as you’ll see below it covers the different dynamics of what a farm produces and puts farming at the heart of Defra.

2.3 The ambition: to deliver a new deal for society, alongside more profitable farming

We can do this by:

• growing the Unique Selling Point of ‘Brand Britain’ and increasing demand for British produce and raw ingredients through exports, supermarket sales, public procurement sourcing, manufacturing of raw ingredients and out-of-home sales (pubs, restaurants and food to go sector) – so farmers and growers sell more and remain the number one supplier of choice to the UK market

• growing income from farming and growing is essential for all sectors, particularly if we are going to fulfil demand and drive a much needed horticulture revolution. UK grown edible horticulture produce was worth £3.1 billion in 2024, and the sector is ambitious to drive domestic consumption and exports by 40% to 120%. Market monitoring is crucial to managing supply and demand to achieve profitability

• value nature, biodiversity and water quality. Farmers want a thriving ecosystem, with clean water, nature and biodiversity benefits for all, across the entire supply chain. Existing farmer-led cluster groups have proven landscape recovery can be scaled across England and become an important part of on-farm income

• growing the demand for wood, fuel, fibre, flowers, and environmental horticulture. In 2023 the environmental horticulture sector (trees, shrubs, bulbs, gardening) contributed over £38 billion to UK Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is equivalent to £1 in every £71 of GDP, £8.4 billion in tax revenues, and supporting more than 722,000 jobs. With the right support, the sector predicts growth of 45% reaching £51 billion in value

• raising levels of productivity and incentivising resilience by optimising food production, delivering goal-orientated research and innovation to every farm business. To achieve this, we need effective knowledge exchange, giving farmers and growers access to the latest tech, so they know, at farm-level, how they benchmark against others for profit margin, yield, soil health, water and carbon

• fair dealings and transparency in law achieving supply chain fairness across all sectors. Extending Retail Voluntary Principles on origin labelling to out-of-home and linked to schemes like Red Tractor or Lion Mark as proof of British integrity (Red Tractor) is currently on £18 billion of British Food). Extend the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP), to out-of-home (currently 50% of the value of food sales in UK)

2.4 Implementation

Establishing a government, industry and farmer partnership

To set and deliver ambition for more British food at home and abroad called ‘FARM’. Mirrored and strengthened by National-level partnerships with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and creating ‘Food and Drink England’. Either chaired independently or by the Environment Secretary, the FARM advisory board should be focused on removing blockers so that farms can thrive. Whether through stimulating demand, promoting exports, or recommending changes to planning rules, driving investment and enabling growth.

Supported by sector missions

Like any other business, farmers and growers need a plan for what they’re producing, which markets they’re aiming at, what volume is needed. Ambitions set out by the farmer or grower for each sub-sector (e.g. poultry, beef, dairy, horticulture, cereals, fibre, fuel) leaving behind, what can often feel like, farmers and growers making decisions that are taken in isolation, without an apparent co-ordinated national plan.

Data, measurement and market monitoring

This is needed to forecast demand and track progress. Farming produces much more than just food, there is a need to develop a ‘National Resources, Circular Economy and Environmental Balanced Scorecard’, to predict and plan demand for wood, fuel, environmental horticulture and fibre. This is alongside a ‘National British Food Balanced Scorecard’ for food retail and out-of-home sectors to track British sourcing commitments against sector-missions. This will then inform our export strategy and British sourcing for public procurement. Market monitoring is also needed to provide transparency for farmers and growers on fertiliser and input prices, alongside measuring imports and exports, and monthly reporting on volumes of production for sectors like horticulture. At present there is insufficient evidence to track progress.

Landscape and nature recovery across England

This is being implemented under Landscape Recovery projects funded by the taxpayer. They have been talked of as “diamonds in a paper crown” because they are beautiful, but small scale and those surrounding them are in what is also referred to as “white space”. The principles behind Landscape Recovery and Countryside Stewardship are sound, but there is a need to scale the concept, allowing all farmers and land areas to benefit. I held a roundtable with representatives from our existing ‘Farm Environmental Delivery Groups’ (FED Groups) delivering landscape recovery. We have produced a blueprint for how that could be expanded to all 93 river catchments in England. These are voluntary, farmer-led, and farmer-owned groups. They may only need the initial start-up and facilitation to be taxpayer funded, providing there is a functioning, accessible natural capital market fuelled by sufficient, mandated application of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) to drive demand from the corporate and business sector to offset environmental impacts and dependencies. Private sector green financing will not work unless this happens.

Embedding National Food Security and Nature Recovery in ‘Active Farmer options’

To achieve long-term commitment and investment to sustainable farming. There needs to be an SFI scheme available for next year for those not already in a scheme. However, it’s evident that there must be a new approach to funding farming schemes. I have set out how this can be achieved in the risk and volatility recommendations (Section 4.2).

In summary:

• link Sustainable Farming Incentive to food production, building resilience by incentivising farming optimisation through SFI options, including oilseeds, pulses and circular protein crops like peas and beans
• supported by baseline farm-level evidence to prove value
• establish ‘SOILSHOT + NATURE’, a whole farm approach, to building soil health and increasing resilience. Creating a high integrity scheme for private finance and Scope 3 insetting and offsetting investment

‘Sustainable FARM Service’

My proposal here is to achieve better coordination of what farmers and growers need to enable them to become more profitable. The current arrangements are fragmented, difficult to access, often complicated and expensive. Farmers and growers need access to better business relevant advice, goal orientated science for on-farm use, informed by targeted commercial research initiatives so that innovation and best practice can be taken up by individual farmers. Rather than the current approach with no overarching ambition.

In summary:

• Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), The Institute of Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH), The UK Agri-Tech Centre (ATC), tasked to bring advice, skills and farming’s engagement with research and innovation into one place
• working with sector groups, Defra Chief Scientific Adviser and Defra Farming Countryside Programme to co-ordinate, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and Innovate UK with sector missions, as well as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), Natural England and Catchment Sensitive Farming. Together to engage, consult, prepare strategic plan for the farming roadmap

I’m convinced Defra needs more farmers involved in co-creating policy, by establishing ‘Agri-Growth Hubs’ in the river basins or regions in England. Connecting local farmers and businesses to ‘Food and Drink England’, restoring whole foods as the foundation of our national diet, increasing production and consumption of fruit and vegetables and nutrient dense foods. Local food requires local processing, providing jobs, boosting local economic growth and tourism.

Growing the British food brand to Local, Regional, National and International Markets: Rodda’s clotted cream from Cornwall, Netherend Farm butter portions from Gloucestershire, and Tiptree jam from Essex are now part of British Airways local sourcing, there’s enormous opportunity to develop many more, local, sustainable brands whilst also reconnecting society with the food, land and nature on our farms – closing the gap between rural and urban communities.

The result:

Driving rural, food, farming, environmental and health benefits value to UK GDP from 0.6%. Growing demand, increasing financial reward to farmers and growers, building investment in the UK economy.

This can be achieved by:

• measuring Agricultural and Horticultural production alongside primary and secondary processing, in line with other countries. Growing exports 30% by 2030
• mandating and measuring the value of natural capital. Delivering nature recovery and reversing biodiversity decline
• capturing value of on-farm clean energy, wood, fibre, fuel, flowers and environmental horticulture
• recognising the economic value of allied businesses, and people working within the rural economy and enabling on-farm tourism, health and wellbeing Restoring whole foods as the foundation of our national diet as an intrinsic metric of the Ten-Year Health Plan for England

My recommendations are based on setting out a strategy and process to start the 25-year Farming Roadmap. I recommend that I re-review progress in 18-months. Government and industry should review progress every six months.

Finally, my thanks to the Rt Hon Steve Reed MP for asking me to lead the Farm Profitability Review, he deserves great credit for endeavouring to resolve an extremely complex challenge, but one on which our global food system depends – profitable farming.

2.5 Principles

These principles are:

• grow the British brand at home and abroad: by growing, making, producing, creating and selling more from our farms in a measurable way. By developing: FARM as a national plan for how to deliver. Establishing a meaningful partnership between farmers, industry and government

• growing income to farmers from private sector environmental and nature markets, for insetting and offsetting by valuing and measuring nature and natural capital. Government mandating Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) to ensure a level playing field for all

• raising the productivity bar through upscaled and simplified, business relevant advice services, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and STEM learning, skills, commercial research projects and innovation. Establishing standardised metrics for measuring soil health and carbon

• recognise ‘Active Farmer’ principle, embedding food security by linking some elements of the Sustainable Farming Scheme and Agri-environment schemes to food production, building resilience by managing volatility and introducing SOILSHOT + NATURE

• enshrine fair dealings and transparency in law. Strengthen the role of the Grocery Code Adjudicator (GCA). Pioneer farm data integrity and deliver market monitoring to provide sector by sector transparency on imports and input costs. Roll out the voluntary code on country-of-origin principles to the out of home sector, with a view to it becoming a statutory requirement

• provide financial certainty by establishing a Whitehall blueprint for on-farm infrastructure: ‘Planning for Farming’s Future’, delivering better environmental and animal welfare outcomes. Rooftop clean energy, turbines and on-farm reservoirs. Stimulating investor confidence by improving access to finance and effective use of tax reliefs

2.6 The vision

To make, create, grow, produce and sell more from our farms in a measurable way to achieve financial certainty. Food and farming measured in terms of ‘true value’ as part of UK GDP. A strong focus on growing the margin received by individual farms. By building resilience, optimising food production, with less impact, at lower cost. Achieve goal-orientated commercial research on soils and nutrients. Scale circular economy proteins: peas and beans for human and livestock consumption, replacing our reliance on imported soya. Focus and value nature and biodiversity recovery by mandating TNFD.

From International to national, regional and local, recognising that food is part of our critical national infrastructure and therefore must be embedded in our national planning framework, building resilience in people and businesses and all that we produce on our farms, culminating in actionable measures to relieve the burdens facing farmers.

How delivering FPR would improve farming profitability

Delivering FPR would improve farming profitability by:

• greater clarity of government policy and planning
• more options to sell your produce
• access to new markets
• increased demand for locally-grown produce
• fairer supply chains
• upskilling through peer-to-peer learning
• single source of advice, skills and research
• access to stable private and public funding
• better farming policy through industry partnership

2.7 Summary of recommendations

Valuing food and farming

• 1 and 2: measure the value of primary and secondary processing in GDP and reassess the full value of farming
• 3: Include natural capital national accounting framework and in the assessment of the UK economy

Resiliance and viability

• 4: provide a scheme for those that have not accessed SFI previously, focussed on resilience options
• 5: assess the most cost-effective way to deliver the SFI
• 6: apply the ‘Active Farmer Principle’ to schemes to ensure the Farming Budget only goes to farmers

SOILSHOT + NATURE

• 7 and 12: establish ‘SOILSHOT + NATURE taskforce’ for a new green financing funding stream, metrics for insetting and offsetting, and a high integrity option in BSI standards
• 8 and 9: develop consistent metrics for insetting to ensure Scope 3 agreements can be equitable and high integrity, and insetting and offsetting for nature outcomes
• 10 and 32: mandate nature reporting for corporate businesses in the UK via TNFD
• 11: establish a ‘Whole Farm Approach’ to building soil health, restoring fertility, cutting emissions and increasing resilience

Partnership approach

• 13-15: establish the ‘Great British FARM Advisory Board’ (GBFAB) to increase and track progress of sales of British raw ingredients across the 4 markets, including growing exports by 30% by 2030
• 16: ensure the ‘Circular Economy’ is considered at all levels of farming policy, to cut costs and increase revenue for farmers

British brand

• 17 and 19: support Trade & Agriculture Commission’s (TAC) recommendations on global standards and ensure GBFAB engages with TAC to understand implications of trade deals on market share of British raw ingredients
• 18: protect Agriculture and Food as ‘sensitive sectors’, as set out in the UK Trade Strategy
• 20: ensure British branding is underpinned by assurance by updating the retailers’ voluntary principles and extending to out-of-home

Supply chain fairness

• 21: reduce unfair supply chain practices by extending the remit of GSCOP and GCA, bringing both within Defra, and enshrining the ‘Golden Rules’ in law
• 22: establish an enhanced market monitoring function to bring together data on prices across the supply chain

English food culture

• 23: update ‘Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services’ to cover all sectors to set consistent standards on provenance and embedding dynamic procurement
• 24: establish ‘Food and Drink England’ for closer relations with farmers and local government and to champion English food producers and our national food culture

Sustainable FARM Service

• 25: develop the Sustainable FARM Service, for a more simple and consolidated system for technical advice, like Teagasc in Ireland
• 26 and 27: develop a coordinated approach, involving BBSRC, Innovate UK and industry, for goal-oriented, scaled and sectoral priorities for commercial research bids

People, labour and skills

• 28: include agriculture in STEM education and encourage careers in food and farming, through the Food Strategy
• 29: establish ‘Agri-Growth Hubs’ as collaborative farmer networks in regions or river basins
• 30: unlock growth by government working with Agri-Growth Hubs and FED Groups to build relationships between farmers and local authorities
• 31: establish further voluntary groups across 93 catchments in England working with farmer led voluntary Farm Environmental Delivery Groups (FED Groups)
• 33: implement the recommendations from John Shropshire’s review into labour shortages in the food supply chain
• 34: extend the Seasonal Worker Visa Scheme to nine months to cover the whole season

Tenancy

• 35: consider giving the Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector statutory powers (like the GCA and GSCOP) and encourage long term tenancies through review of key tax reliefs

Tax incentives, grants and investment

• 36: consider if farm businesses operating as sole traders or partnerships should be eligible to claim full expensing allowances on plant and machinery
• 37: assess whether farm businesses are able to benefit from capital allowances as intended and if tax relief meets the specific circumstances of farmers
• 38: develop a soft loans offer at 0% interest through the British Business Bank for new entrants, young farmers and business expansion to scale farm businesses
• 39: target and extend Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) funding to Agri-Growth Hubs
• 40: review the current model for grant delivery to reduce the cost burden on farmers and streamline approval
• 41: make productivity funding open to more farmers and growers with the level of funding proportionate to the size of business

Planning

• 42 and 44-46: Develop a ‘National Planning for Food Infrastructure Blueprint’ that is implemented through the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), with enough resource in the Planning Inspectorate, to ensure food production is prioritised in the planning system and removes duplication in implementing regulation by Defra Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs)
• 43: remove muck/slurry spreading requirements from planning process where it’s duplicative to pre-existing permitting
• 47: extend the PDR allowance beyond 1000 metres squared for livestock buildings to achieve better animal welfare and environment outcomes

Energy and connectivity

• 48: ensure extended PDRs for on-farm wind turbines and reservoirs are made available for farm businesses
• 49: ensure District Network Operators are driving uptake of existing technology in rural areas to improve connectivity and infrastructure

Water

• 50 and 52: consider farm businesses and embedding the Agri-Growth hubs and the FED Groups when implementing the Cunliffe review recommendations
• 51: embed an evidence-led partnership approach with the farming industry where water abstraction for food production is needed
• 53: Ensure that extended PDRs for on farm reservoirs are made available

Regulation

• 54: undertake a review of regulation to assess its effectiveness and cost on agriculture
• 55 and 56: In line with the Corry Review, consider reforming regulation to make it outcomes focussed, risk (rather than hazards) based, with fit for purpose approvals for biological crop protection; and ensure regulators are considering cost of compliance on farms
• 57: minimise the bureaucracy and resulting cost of FSA official controls for small abattoirs