Sustainability has been a pressing concern for farmers for several years, but recent changes have accelerated its importance. The withdrawal of the pre-Brexit subsidy scheme and its replacement with Environmental Land Management schemes have pushed farmers to focus on environmental stewardship. Additionally, the challenging market conditions have driven farmers to seek increased profitability through lowering overheads and input costs. This shift is evident in the new entry-level Environmental Land Management scheme, the “Sustainable Farming Incentive.” This initiative offers payments for over 100 different actions aimed at combating climate change, restoring nature, and increasing biodiversity. This scheme is a clear indication that the government is encouraging farmers to adopt more sustainable practices.
Agri-tech is playing a significant role in this transition. Farmers have always been quick to adopt new technologies, and the agricultural shows are a testament to this. From driverless robots cultivating fields to drones analyzing yields, and traditional equipment reimagined to reduce fossil fuel consumption, pesticide use, and carbon disturbance, the industry is embracing innovation. JCB, for instance, is developing a hydrogen tractor, showcasing the industry’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. Agronomists and farm managers are also increasingly using software and AI to monitor productivity and animal health, as well as to measure and predict their carbon footprint. This technology not only helps solve operational problems but also underpins a sustainable future for the industry.
The government’s intentions for the UK to become a world-leader in clean energy suggest that there will likely be more help on hand to cut fossil fuel use in agriculture. However, it remains unclear if the new government intends to relaunch the previous ‘Farming Equipment and Technology Fund’ and ‘Farming Transformation Fund’, which were popular grants to help fund investment in farm innovation, including the use of renewable energy on farms.
Beyond funding, the government has launched a consultation to study and consider land use in the UK. This will likely heighten the tension between balancing food security and promoting sustainability in nature. The true revolution, however, is the one that asks us to transform the way we look at land itself. Today, landowners can generate an income from the very essence of the countryside – the land’s natural capital, rather than from growing food upon it. For example, last year saw a new mandatory requirement for Biodiversity Net Gain within the planning system; requiring new developments to demonstrate a net gain of at least 10 per cent in the proposed site’s biodiversity. Outside of this statutory regime, there are also private markets emerging for carbon sequestration and potential money to be made by using natural landscapes to offset carbon emitted by other industries.
Natural landscapes also provide an opportunity for diversification through renewable energy schemes, such as windfarms and solar parks. Although large Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects will mean more land being taken out of production, the chance to participate could also be a life-line for landowners looking for alternative ways to secure income streams. In this changing landscape, a surge in interest from developers is difficult to overlook. That said, it is important to undertake research and consider tax and practical implications before committing.
There is also increased sensitivity about preserving and improving water quality for the benefit of both people and nature. Nandos is the latest household name to be challenged on river pollution allegedly caused by their meat producers, and farmers must carefully consider potential contamination from other aspects of the industry – from run-off of fertiliser and sprays, to slurry and dairy waste. Beyond farming, utility providers are equally under pressure to explain large scale sewage discharges into watercourses. In Cambridgeshire, landowners face further upheaval due to infrastructure upgrades to store and transport water to reach a growing population; with new pipelines being laid and a proposed new reservoir in the fens.
The focus will likely continue to be on increasing the biodiversity of the landscape and balancing nature with the needs for more development, housing and food production. From our perspective, there is no escaping the role nature is going to play in farming and land management this year and beyond. The creation of habitat banks, multi-landowner collaboration on landscape recovery schemes, as well as solar and renewable energy schemes will all play their part.
