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Government must reboot nature-friendly farming schemes for food security

As farmers and the agriculture sector prepare to attend the big conferences in Oxford this week, Vicki Hird, strategic lead for agriculture at The Wildlife Trusts, writes, there are concerns about the future of Environmental Land Management schemes – despite clear evidence that nature-based farm approaches are essential to ensure that farmers and the land can adapt to a rapidly changing climate.

Although there is major support across the farming community for the schemes, their future remains uncertain since the new Ministerial team arrived and progress on the main scheme was stalled over 9 months ago. 

State of play on the three farm schemes 

  • The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) was paused in March 2026 causing significant anger and frustration across the farming sector. It meant that essential new funding for nature-friendly farming practices is not currently accessible to most farmers. The SFI is a key tool to support farmers in managing their land sustainably and reward them for restoring nature, cleaning rivers, and mitigating against climate change. The Wildlife Trusts believe the SFI must be opened for all farmers as a matter of urgency given the stresses they are under. The Government was right to review the scheme which needed more ambition and strengthening to ensure whole natural systems like rivers are protected. But the process must be managed more clearly for farmers in future to avoid financial cliff edges.
  • Countryside Stewardship has higher ambition for nature recovery – vital given the continuing decline of the natural world – and so it demands more from farmers. But it is not open to everyone and is limited by small budgets and capacity to administer. The Wildlife Trusts welcomed the extension of the Countryside Stewardship agreements as a step forward in ensuring that farmers taking stronger action for nature are not left with a funding shortfall. Continuation and wider take-up of these more ambitious schemes is critical.
  • Landscape Recovery schemes are major projects covering large areas and multiple land managers which could deliver nature recovery and flood management at a really exciting scale. But they are at risk of failing due to unreasonable contractual demands and uncertain long-term funding.  

Currently none of the Environmental Land Management schemes are open for new applications and future long term Government budgets are uncertain – this leaves farmers and landowners without a clear pathway towards a sustainable future. Against a backdrop of squeezes in food prices and the challenges presented by a rapidly shifting climate, farmers and the land they care for are struggling. 

While it is admirable that Defra fought successfully to maintain farm budgets, the reality is that there is not enough money in the pot for it to do everything it needs to do. Independent analysis in 2024 on behalf of The Wildlife Trusts, RSPB and National Trust found that at least £3.1 billion (compared to an average of £2.5bn) needs to be spent on nature-friendly farming and land management annually in England to meet the UK Government’s own legally-binding targets. Such needs will only have grown given inflation and the ongoing crises of nature loss and climate change.  

We need to maintain ambition 

The Secretary of State will speak at the Oxford farm conference on Thursday 8th January. She must confirm a strong long-term ambition for the three English farm schemes as a core feature of future farming prosperity, and provide more finance for training, advice and collaboration so that skills and learning grow rapidly. The disastrous uncertainties of the last few years must end. Through nature-friendly practices, farm businesses can transition to become more climate resilient – and in doing so, help to clean up rivers, prevent flooding, store water in times of drought and restore nature.  

All three schemes must also provide clear value for money for the taxpayer through public benefits – they must not be watered down to become merely a means of income support with nothing expected in return.  

The Wildlife Trusts are hosting a Wild Live panel discussion event at 6pm on Wednesday 7th January in Oxford: Can we afford nature-friendly food? Register to attend in person – or online – here: www.wildlifetrusts.org/events/2026-01-07-wild-live-can-we-afford-nature-friendly-food. Panellists include: Dev Sharma - food activist and founding member of Bite Back, Julia Kirby-Smith - executive director of Better Food Traders, Tom Pearson - farmer and doctor, and the event is chaired by Craig Bennett - chief executive at The Wildlife Trusts. 

Notes

The Nature Friendly Farming Network sets out top five priorities for new ministers

Read more here.

Investment needed

At least £3.1 billion (compared to an average of £2.5bn) needs to be spent on nature-friendly farming and land management annually in England to meet the UK Government’s own legally-binding targets – see report by RSPB, National Trust & The Wildlife Trusts: Scale of Need Report July.pdf 

The AHDB say, "to account for the effect of inflation, the farming budget would need to increase by 44% to £3.4 billion. This is without considering any other spending required to support the farming sector." https://ahdb.org.uk/trade-and-policy-total-farm-support-eroded-by-underspend-and-inflation  

Vision for Farming

See our Vision for Farming www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/new-vision-get-farming-transition-back-track  

Government Environmental Improvement Plan

Without clear ambition for restoring nature and the public benefits that this brings, we risk devastating failures in ecosystems such as soils, water and beneficial insects. There is also the risk that the Treasury will claw back funds that are not delivering taxpayer value. The farm transition is also essential in delivering the new Government Environmental Improvement Plan though the budget allocated is currently insufficient. Stable public funding for demonstrable environmental actions is critical for farmers to be able to plan their businesses. The Government’s new Environmental Improvement Plan targets, as well as the country’s future food security, are also highly dependent on farmers delivering nature-friendly outcomes. 

Emergency farm support

A separate budget is needed for emergency farm support, especially for smaller farm businesses struggling with higher costs, climatic extremes and unfair prices; it needs to matched with stronger supply chain regulations to stop abuse.  

Long-term commitment

Farmers work years in advance to grow the food we eat and provide wildlife measures, restoring habitats for threatened invertebrates like solitary bees and farmland birds such as the skylark and lapwing. Only long-term commitment from the Government to support farmers, through a joined-up transition for all of England’s agri-environment schemes, will safeguard the future resilience of our food system, farmers’ livelihoods and nature’s recovery. 

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