THE environment secretary announced a range of measures set to support British farming at the Oxford Farming Conference on Thursday (January 4). 

The updates - which apply to England and are led by DEFRA, include funding uplifts, streamlined application processes, enhanced environmental incentives, and support for the rollout of new technology. 

MP Steve Barclay also announced Defra's consultation on plans to have imported products, such as pork, that do not meet UK welfare standards, labelled as such. The new labelling is to encourage more people to buy British food. 

North Devon MP, Selaine Saxby, has responded to the new measures, saying the upgrade to farming schemes is 'great news'. 

“It’s fantastic to see Steve Barclay set out the latest upgrades to farming schemes since Brexit at the Oxford Farming Conference," she said.

"This is great news for our farmers in North Devon who will see payment increase by 10% in the average value of agreements in the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship and a consultation on British food labelling which will make it easier to support great British produce. I supported Dr Luke Evans’ ‘Buy British Button’ campaign and look forward to positive change this will bring to the farming industry.

“When I visit farmers in North Devon, a lot of the feedback I hear is that the previous application process for grants were long and complicated. I am delighted that the process has now been simplified for 2024, enabling farmers to apply for the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier through a single application. Farmers will be able to submit their applications for the 2024 offer from this summer!”

However, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has concerns the upgrades might mean a delay in delivery of the schemes. 

President Victoria Vyvyan, who is from Trelowarren, on the Lizard peninsula in Cornwall, said: “There is a lot to like about SFI 2024. The increased payment rates and the variety of new actions show that the voice of the CLA has been heard. However, we are very concerned that farmers will have to wait until this summer, at the earliest, before the application window opens.

"This means that, at best, farmers will receive no SFI 24 income until the end of the year whilst facing remorseless cuts to the Basic Payment.

“We have significant concerns about the readiness of the Rural Payment Agency's IT systems to deal with the new options and the streamlining of Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes and Countryside Stewardship. There is real danger that the delivery will be held-up as it was in 2023, and that the application window will be pushed back.

"The CLA remains a supporter of ELM schemes but time is running out. Government has been listening and learning on actions and payment rates, but without effective delivery the schemes will lose the confidence and trust of the farming community.”