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New vision to get farming transition back on track

Today, The Wildlife Trusts launch a vision for the future of food and farming - Food & Farming in a Nature & Climate Crisis - stressing that the time is now to get the farming transition back on track.

Following the Government’s recent move to protect England’s nature-friendly farming budget in the Comprehensive Spending Review, The Wildlife Trusts argue that nature-friendly farming must move centre-stage as one of the most cost effective and efficient ways to reach nature recovery and climate targets across vast swathes of the country.

Nature-friendly farming benefits not just wildlife and farm businesses, but also works to reduce flooding risk, tackle climate change, clean up waterways and increase food security. 

The Wildlife Trusts maintain that the entire food system – including politicians, supermarkets, food producers and farmers – must think long term about their support for a nature-positive and climate-resilient farming sector.  

The Food and Farming in a Nature and Climate Crises vision shows how to get the farming transition back on track; huge efforts are already underway led by farmers, producers and suppliers to harness the power of nature-friendly farming. 

The Wildlife Trusts say that action to address the nature and climate crisis across the farmed landscape must include:

  • Facilitating support structures, guidance, and independent advice for farmers to transition to regenerative & agroecological farm systems
  • Utilising both public and private finance, and technology and innovation, to supercharge nature-friendly farming practices and nature-based solutions
  • Policies to reform food supply chains, ensuring they reward farmers fairly for the food they produce in harmony with nature

Vicki Hird, strategic lead for agriculture at The Wildlife Trusts, says:  

“Whilst the spending review fell short of the ambition required to scale up nature-friendly farming, it’s more vital than ever to channel support into environmental delivery across the farmed landscape.  

“Farmers must not be left high and dry on their transition to more sustainable farming practices, when mechanisms to drive this important change exist across the supply chain, government policy and technology. 

That’s why we’ve launched our Food & Farming in a Nature & Climate Crisis vision – it sets out a blueprint for delivering healthy diets, nature recovery and climate-resilient farm and food businesses long into the future. 

“All eyes will now be on Defra to set a clear long-term vision in their developing 25-year “Farming Roadmap” and ensure that public money is used the most effectively, including the deployment of funds to agri-environment schemes.”  

The Wildlife Trusts argue that transformation of the food and farming system is more vital than ever as farmers are continuing to face a huge degree of uncertainty, battling the ever-increasing impacts of a changing climate and volatile markets. 

Read the Food and Farming in a Nature and Climate Crises vision. Its launch comes as The Wildlife Trusts host the new ‘Farming with Nature’ stage at Groundswell regenerative agriculture festival on 2nd & 3rd July.

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Editor's notes

  • Read the full The Food & Farming in a Nature & Climate Crisis vision here
  • The Wildlife Trusts are hosting the new ‘Farming with Nature’ stage at Groundswell regenerative agriculture festival on 2nd & 3rd July. The stage is set to be packed with insightful discussions including:  

Wednesday 2nd July 

  • 11:15 am - 12:00 pm: Farming smarter: the data on nature friendly farming
  • 3:10 pm - 3:50 pm: Are you Beaver-ready? How beavers can boost your farm resilience 

Thursday 3rd July 

  • 12:10 pm - 12:50 pm: Nutrient circularity for nature restoration
  • 2:10 pm - 2:50 pm: The case for farming with nature in a changing policy environment 

Find full details of the ‘Farming with Nature’ stage here: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/groundswell  

  • This month also marks the 10 year anniversary of a pioneering partnership between Jordans Cereals, LEAF and The Wildlife Trusts. The initiative has been working to deliver nature-friendly practices on farms across England for a decade, making a significant contribution to landscape connectivity and helping the farms and the wildlife they support become more resilient to the effects of climate change. Find out more here

The Wildlife Trusts 

The Wildlife Trusts are making the world wilder and helping to ensure that nature is part of everyone’s lives. We are a grassroots movement of 46 charities with more than 940,000 members and 35,000 volunteers. No matter where you are in Britain, there is a Wildlife Trust inspiring people and saving, protecting and standing up for the natural world. With the support of our members, we care for and restore over 2,000 special places for nature on land and run marine conservation projects and collect vital data on the state of our seas. Every Wildlife Trust works within its local community to inspire people to create a wilder future – from advising thousands of landowners on how to manage their land to benefit wildlife, to connecting hundreds of thousands of school children with nature every year. www.wildlifetrusts.org 

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