Over the past six months, Dave Stanners, the North uplands group chair, and I have continuously been challenging Defra on the agricultural transition and how uplands farming has been neglected in the ELMs offer.
With further uncertainties linked to the Budget, many upland farmers across the country are frustrated and concerned for our future.
We need certainty and cashflow from Defra – both are in extremely short supply.
The NFU continues to press Defra on the position we’ve taken which asks for an uplift to HLS payment rates, as a temporary measure to provide some relief to the financial pressure many upland businesses are feeling.
Task and Finish Group
We’re pleased Defra has set up an Uplands Task and Finish Group chaired by Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Daniel Zeichner. This follows a request the NFU made to Defra in June.
The group will operate on a task and finish basis and includes Defra officials as well as representatives of key organisations working in the uplands. Its aim is to identify solutions and provide recommendations to the Minister on policy and changes to existing schemes.
The first meeting was held on 16 December. It was titled ‘Assessing potential short-term changes to ELM schemes’ and focused specifically on the moorland SFI offer.
NFU position outlined
“The Defra Task and Finish Group offers a starting point for positive change. The upland landscape can only thrive with profitable livestock businesses at its core and to achieve that you must be fairly rewarded.”
NFU South uplands group chair Mat Cole
The NFU Uplands Group position was outlined in the meeting; as a starting principle the draconian set stocking rates on offer within SFI will not deliver the desired outcomes for farming or the environment in a moorland setting.
The diverse upland habitats across England simply cannot be managed with blanket stocking rates.
These sensitive habitats require bespoke grazing levels, with the flexibility designed to deliver sustainability for upland farm businesses.
We made the point that supplementary feeding must be permissible within any moorland SFI options, for example in the case of poor weather conditions.
The Defra definition of sheep stocking densities by weight, was highlighted as inappropriate, and it was suggested instead that these should be based on breed type.
Our wish to be involved in the development of an additional SFI summer cattle grazing supplement was stated, as well as repeating our call for Defra and Natural England to make available the evidence they’ve used to design the SFI moorland options.
We also repeated our concerns about the lack of availability of a suitable variety of options for grassland, something we have raised with Defra separately.
The task and finish group will meet three more times before March 2025.
Vision for the uplands
We’re working with the North and South Upland Groups to consider and put forward short-term solutions, while we develop our asks of Defra in an NFU vision for the uplands.
Within that document, we plan to highlight the key areas upland farm businesses can contribute towards:
- food production
- enhancing the environment
- supporting the rural economy & communities
- maintaining culture, heritage and traditions
- working to delivering on net zero, climate change and sustainability.
Starting point for positive change
The Defra Task and Finish Group offers a starting point for positive change. The upland landscape can only thrive with profitable livestock businesses at its core and to achieve that you must be fairly rewarded.
Please do contact either myself, Dave, or your MP to let us know how the Budget and lack of availability of ELMs is impacting you and your business. Case studies are essential in painting the picture for Defra and government.
