Beyond 2020 New farm policy - Briefing - Friends of the Earth
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Briefing
Beyond 2020
New farm policy
Photo: flickr.com/photos/tomaskohl
Summary public investment. It should deliver
diversity in production and farming
B. Sustainable business, capital and
infrastructure support with specific
and be underpinned by effective help for smaller businesses;
Sustain presents principles and regulation and enforcement, based
policies to deliver better food and on the precautionary principle, to C. a new publicly funded programme
farming when we leave the European protect people, the rural economy, of low cost advice and support for a
Common Agricultural Policy. We environment and livestock. UK farmer-to-farmer advisory network;
believe that a focus on high volume, trade deals must not undermine and
low standard production would be the delivery of this vision in each
wrong for UK farming, as would a devolved administration and should D. Wider policy framework reform
relaxation in standards as a political enable other countries to deliver including: maintaining and enhancing
trade-off for cuts in farm support. their food sovereignty. The four land based regulations to prevent
policy strands we propose include: harm; a strengthened and extended
Instead, new devolved farm policy Groceries Code Adjudicator to protect
should be based on a strong A. a new, universally available Land farmers from unfair trading practices
commitment, supported by the Management Support scheme and policies to encourage retail
taxpayer and a well regulated with three elements: a menu of diversity; maintaining organic legal
market, for sustainable, resilient, outcomes; an organic scheme; and standards; labelling regulations to
nature friendly farming industry a whole-farm scheme. Specific LMS drive up demand for food based on
that can deliver healthy diets strands would be available to boost higher standards; reforms to tenancy
for all, ensure safe food and agro-forestry, extensive pasture rules; strong labour regulations to
high animal welfare and which based livestock, horticulture; new value farm workers and enhance
minimises negative global impacts. entrants and succession planning. employment and reemployment; high
Financial and other support must There is a strong case for front public procurement standards and
be targeted and based on the loading and/or capping payments to delivery; and trade policies which
principle of public benefits for use the support wisely; promote these commitments.
2 Briefing - Beyond 2020 - New farm policy
Introduction New principles
This briefing has been developed Brexit presents an opportunity 2. Ongoing support for farming
in consultation with working party but the need for change is clear. and sustainable land management
members drawn from the Sustain There is ample evidence that for i.e. maintain a support level (such
membership1 and forms part of the UK, policy needs to do more as the £3billion currently spent
a wider Sustain programme on to ensure UK farmers can deliver overall), set as required, to ensure
Brexit to deliver high standards for a sustainable, healthy, ethical food sustainable land use and protection
food, farming and fishing (including system for UK citizens.2 We know of our environment, food security,
supporting a Policy Commission, our farm and food system is broken: rural economy, the diversity of size
new public engagement and from adverse public health impacts, and type of farms and a ladder for
promoting new legal frameworks). lost farmland wildlife and diversity, those who want to enter this industry.
to farm income crises, animal health It should be sufficient to do this and
It summarises the principles and and welfare problems, rapid decline provide an emergency safety net for
policies needed to deliver better in smaller and family farms, and extreme hardship only.4
farming in the UK (not including damage to the global environment.
land based aquaculture). These are As we leave today’s European 3. Application of the public money
proposed as a contribution to the designed system, so we should now for public good (or benefit)
debate on new policies needed after take the chance to fix it. principle.5 This must be carefully
2020 when the current European defined and applied fairly to avoid
schemes and regulatory frameworks We believe the following principles commodification of nature and
are due to end. should underpin future farm policy: unintended consequences such as
some goods or land types being
This briefing refers mainly to 1. A clear commitment to fair, neglected by both public policy
agriculture policy in England though healthy, humane and environmentally and the market. Key to this will be
many of the principles proposed sustainable food, farming, fishing rewarding farmers for adopting
are common across the UK. In and land management for the and maintaining agro-ecological
terms of the devolved nations, there UK after withdrawal from the EU, approaches (including organic
should be no top-down UK policy. establishing agroecology as the and agroforestry), resource (soil,
Agriculture should continue to be underlying principle of farming. water) protection, public access,
fully devolved when we leave the EU. Changes to the fiscal support and maintaining and enhancing nature
The nations could and should agree regulatory regime must contribute to and biodiversity, conserving
a consensual framework which environmental, animal welfare, social landscapes, High Nature Value
maintains UK-wide structures and and public health goals3 including farming6 and heritage features, high
objectives where needed. carbon reduction, biodiversity, rural animal welfare and in ensuring a
livelihoods, greater consumption supply of sustainable healthy food
of fruit and vegetables and lower where not supported by the market.
obesity (estimated to cost the NHS It should include delivering on the
£4billion anually). industry commitment to reduce GHG
emissions from agriculture by at least
3 million tonnes of carbon dioxide
equivalent per year (3MtCO2e) by
3 For instance via (a) targeting support to 2022, climate adaptation, as well
domestic supply of healthy foods including
fresh fruit and vegetables to address the as priorities such as the National
huge trade gap and replace unhealthy Pollinator Strategies.
1 Sustain is an alliance of around 100 foods (see http://foodfoundation.org.uk/
national public interest organisations peasplease/); (b) Reducing the amount of
working at international, national, regional sugar produced for consumption to match
and local level for better food and farming. recommended levels of consumption of
It advocates food and agriculture policies refined sugars, which contribute to dental
and practices that enhance the health and decay and dietary diseases such as
welfare of people and animals, improve obesity and diabetes; and (c) recognition 5 A ‘public good’ is a product that one
the working and living environment, enrich and reward of wider benefits of a farm individual can consume without reducing
society and culture and promote equity. related environment that supports public its availability to another individual, and
https://www.sustainweb.org/membership/ physical and mental health and well-being. from which no one is excluded. We want to
ensure a healthy and sustainably produced
2 For example see State of Nature 2016, 4 The call for crop insurance programmes food supply as a public good, where
https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/our-work/ similar to those in the US or Canada is markets fail and rural vitality based on
stateofnature2016/ or SNH Agroecology understandable but research consistently sustainable development.
report http://www.snh.gov.uk/ shows they are expensive and lead to
land-and-sea/managing-the-land/farming- growth in risky farming practices and 6 Low-intensity farming systems
crofting/lupg/agroecology/ or http://www. negative environmental impacts. Schemes particularly valuable for wildlife and
risefoundation.eu/images/files/2017/2017_ may help prevent rural jobs losses but are natural environment. See http://www.
RISE_CAP_Summary.pdf unlikely to lead to additional jobs. highnaturevaluefarming.org.uk/
Briefing - Beyond 2020 - New farm policy 3
4. A focus on targeting support 6. Maintenance and enhancement 8. Trade deals shaped by people’s
to ensure money goes where it is of standards and regulations needs not those of corporations and
really needed and recognising larger including food safety, organic which allow countries to maintain
farms gain economies of scale so standards, pesticide, environment, and enhance standards and ensure
may need less support to deliver nature, employment, geographic farmers are not competing with
the same outcomes. Aid could be indicators, and animal welfare. This producers using lower standards.
provided to enable diversification should include a commitment to We must not weaken food standards
in production and the transition fully implementing the precautionary or protection to get favourable deals
towards livelihoods and employment principle and hazard based as part of a bargaining chip in trade
in healthier, sustainably grown or approaches and responding to negotiations which could result in
reared produce (and away from external markets e.g. changing costly food crises, lower animal
current levels of, for example, sugar European regulations. Policies welfare, contamination, threats to
beet, and intensively reared industrial should ensure supply chains become public health and potential for lost
meat) as appropriate. Adequate funds shorter and less complex reducing markets and trust. We must use
must be available for monitoring and the risk of food fraud, hygiene risks trade impact assessments to ensure
compliance verification to ensure and contamination. deals do not harm developing
value for money. countries.
7. Solidarity with the global south
5. Protection and enhancement of – we must commit to reduce the
farm diversity – the mosaic of UK adverse impact of UK farm and
farming – is so vital for protecting trade policy and practice on supply
landscapes and natural resources chains in the global south (small
as well as rural economies and scale, agro-ecological, focussed
communities. The small and on domestic markets and strong
medium, family farm and mixed worker welfare) and change those
farm – which provide specific and policies and practices which harm
often unrecognised environmental biodiversity or contribute to climate
and social benefits – need specific change, hurting the poorest most.
policies (see Wider Policies) to
survive in a more liberalised market
and deliver for a more diverse
domestic and local marketplace.
4 Briefing - Beyond 2020 - New farm policy
Farm policy from 2020 onward Whilst not universally agreed, there
is a strong case for tapering or
capping of such a universal scheme
The following four-part structure is A. Land Management with measures to avoid legal dodges.
proposed as a system of support to Support (LMS) This would recognise the economies
replace the Common Agricultural of scale for larger businesses
Policy (CAP) and as part of a wider A three pronged scheme covering and ensure that the money is not
policy framework to ensure market both outcome-based and systemic swallowed up by the largest farmers
failures are avoided. delivery approaches which would and land managers. Schemes may
be government-run i.e. based on involve specific costs or income
It assumes that the government a contract between farmer and foregone, but this can be more easily
will phase-out the current system government. Well-established, managed in larger businesses. The
of direct payments (including large independent assurance schemes level of front loading could ensure
scale bioenergy schemes) carefully, could provide compliance the majority or costs/losses incurred
and provide short term transitional administration: are covered and encourage uptake
support where proven critical to for smaller sized farms.
avoid a cliff edge for farmers. The 1. A menu or points and
following ideas (A-C) could be tested outcome-based scheme, Specific LMS strands would exist for:
through new farm based pilots. delivering public good outcomes.
This would be available and • Agro-forestry – loans or grants
Without the final section ‘D’ on wider accessible to all farmers and direct to support new tree planting to
policy reform we recognise that a land managers above 1 hectare enhance yields, farm profitability
new farm support scheme will fail and would mostly be multi-annual.7 and resilience and on-going
to deliver the better farm and food All payments would be for specific maintenance covered by LMS.
system we need. outcomes such as nature; carbon; This would deliver additional
water; flooding management; soil; environmental goods such
The governance and monitoring landscape; historical features; high as reducing soil erosion and
structures – such as national versus animal welfare; GHG reduction; enhancing on-farm biodiversity,
local decision making, monitoring rural regeneration. Lessons on including pollinators.
compliance, allocation of resources efficacy and implementation can be
and prioritisation – needs urgent but learnt from existing schemes and • Extensive Pasture Based
careful work and we would welcome pilots and a specific scheme should livestock farming - specific
ideas and will facilitate debate on be delivered for statutorily protected incentives to ensure this certified
these issues. features (SSSIs, SAMs) to support sector can develop and grow
their high level management. to deliver wider resource use,
Sustainability assessment tools or biodiversity, welfare and new
similar could identify priorities on market outcomes.
individual farms leading to farm
specific agreements to get the • Horticulture – specific loans
greatest level of improvements. or grants available to support
and maintain new UK based
2. A systemic scheme for organic – sustainable horticulture
an improved and expanded version enterprise and diversification into
of the current system for organic horticulture, to reduce the huge
conversion and maintenance trade gap and loss of UK capacity,
payments – developed in so create employment, improve
partnership with farmers, organic wages and skills, marketing,
certification bodies and other processing and enhance
stakeholders.8 They would also be home-grown nutrition.
7 The current 5 hectare limit unnecessarily
eligible for specific support under 1.
excludes many small-scale enterprises
• New entrants and succession
8 Organic certification is different from 3. Development of a wider Systemic support – specific short term
other assurance schemes because it Whole Farm payment scheme – support (loans, grants) for new
already functions as a gateway to farm for other whole farm approaches, entrants in recognition of the
payments. Three key factors legitimise
this arrangement: longstanding,
where based on standards that are need for new entrepreneurs. This
independent and robust scientific demonstrably above baseline, and will help allieviate the difficulty
evidence demonstrating the delivery of which are verifiable e.g. assurance new entrants have in finding
environmental and public benefits; the schemes with accountable information, land, housing and
requirement of a detailed auditing process;
and the underpinning of the standards
standards driven by sustainability credit. Additional measures may be
in legislation - currently the EU Organic principles and outcome measures. needed to encourage succession
Regulation. in favour of the coming generation.Briefing - Beyond 2020 - New farm policy 5
B. Sustainable businesses and Standards and Regulation • Labelling – introduction of
rural development support mandatory method of production
• Strong land based regulatory labelling which would provide
Support for demonstrably framework – underpinning citizens with accurate farm system
sustainable businesses such as farm support based on the information to help safeguard the
marketing hubs or micro-processing polluter pays principle and given future of high standard farming.
units e.g. capital grants and adequate verification systems and Initial implementation, with
maintenance, farmer innovation, enforcement powers. outcome based assessments, in
facilitation funds for setting up the meat and dairy sector would
cooperatives via capital grants, • Supply chain regulation – to help drive up standards.10
loans, Producer Organisations and ensure markets better support
business advice. Special funds would viable farming we propose the • Tenancy reform – explore new
be ring fenced for small/medium continuation of the Groceries measures for longer and more
scale regional and local businesses Code Adjudicator (GCA), which sustainable farm tenancies11
for processing and supply chain regulates supermarkets behaviour to help tenant farmers’ longer
innovation for sustainability and with suppliers. We also support term planning, to encourage
target sectors such as horticulture. the extension of the Groceries agroforestry, and help new
Supply Code of Practice (GSCoP) entrants into farming.
and GCA’s remit to promote fairer
C. Free advice and supporting trading practices by all players in • Taxation Fiscal approaches
farmer to farmer advisory the supply chain not just the big to incentivise or de-incentivise
networks 8 retailers.9 The current review certain practices should be
of the GSCoP and GCA must explored.
This would be core to delivering be used as a key opportunity to
effective businesses, innovation, ensure that risks and costs are
climate goals, agri-environment shared fairly along supply chains Research and Development
outcomes, organic conversion and rather than dumped on small
farming advice, pollinator protection, producers. Farmers need to get a • A new Research and
integrated pest management and fairer share of the price paid at the development strategy should
farm diversification. We need diversity checkout so we also support other replace the current agri-tech
in delivery and funding should be ways, such as local competition strategy to support the new LMS
available to support farmer-to-farmer and planning rules to achieve approach and provide primary and
advice and demonstration and new a fairer system including more applied science to support the
training schemes. diverse and community-led retail. needs of agro-ecological farming
• Organic – We need to maintain • We should allocate a proportion
D. Crucial wider policy the legal base for organic of the current R&D budget to
framework standards, ensuring alignment farmer led innovation and farmer
with the EU organic regulation to farmer training on application of
Delivering coherent land and set targets and government new research.
management and sustainable policies in a coherent Action Plan
farming requires more than the to expand organic production and
new farm policy outlined above. It marketing.
demands a combination of protective
regulations, the right support
system, new and accessible advice,
a strong research base to support
new farming; and supportive public
procurement and trading policies and
management.
9 Our submission is available. The BEIS
Review is here - https://www.gov.uk/
government/consultations/groceries-code-
adjudicator-extending-its-remit
10 See http://www.labellingmatters.org/ for
work on livestock labelling
11 http://www.tfa.org.uk/tfa-media-release-
1705-tfa-calls-on-the-chancellor-to-use-
fiscal-levers-to-achieve-longer-term-farm-
tenancies/6 Briefing - Beyond 2020 - New farm policy
Protecting Workers Food Procurement and Diets Better Trade
• Labour standards and • Public sector procurement • Trade deals should strengthen
availability – valuing farm standards for schools, services delivery of high standards of
workers is key and all workers and hospitals should specify production. Government must
should be paid the Living Wage12 healthy and sustainability criteria insist on the inclusion of a clause
as a minimum. We need a new (e.g. Eatwell Guide), the use of in trade deals to require imports
agricultural worker collective high standard UK farm produce to meet UK production standards,
bargaining body for England and a and attract greater budgets in for example, on animal health
reversal of the cuts in enforcement recognition of the public benefits and welfare, farm antibiotic
agencies13 which protect gained. use, pesticide controls, whilst
workers from abuse. We must also having the ability to apply
ensure access to seasonal farm • Local programmes to support differential tariffs on products
workers, and strong regulation farmers to meet public sector produced to lower standards or
of gang-masters through requirements, and help with to prohibit unacceptable sources
enforcement. the tendering process, would of goods such as soy or palm oil
also be needed. Such support from deforested areas.
• Market regulation and changes was common in the 2000s
to taxation and trade policy following recommendations of • We should be demanding
must prioritise ensuring livelihoods the Curry Commission,14 but mandatory method of
and jobs in farming and largely disappeared as Regional production labelling for food
community food businesses so Development Agencies were trade to drive up health, livestock,
they can afford to pay real living replaced with Local Enterprise environment and labour standards.
wages both to themselves and Partnerships. Imports that do not conform
their employees. would be subject to tariffs that are
• Measures to shift the public to sufficiently high to safeguard the
• Prioritise redeployment more sustainable diets will be public interest; imports that meet
schemes – Where jobs are needed.15 UK standards would benefit from
in sectors diminishing due to a low or zero tariff.
de-emphasis in national policy
support (such as in nutritionally • Impact assessments – Any trade
undesirable, high sugar, fatty, deals between UK and other
salty food, processed meat, etc.), developed countries must be
greater automation, or for certain assessed on the impact that they
farming systems, just transition may have on developing countries.
and diversification plans for
redeployment are vital.
Photo: Miles Willis
12 See details at http://www.livingwage.org.
uk/what-is-the-living-wage
13 Including the Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) the work related health regulator;
Her Majesties Revenue and Customs
overseeing income legislation and National
Minimum Wage (HMRC); the Gangmasters
and Labour Abuse Authority (GLLA) which
investigates labour abuse and exploitation
across all aspects of the UK labour market;
and Employment Agency Standards
Inspectorate.
14 http://webarchive.nationalarchives.
gov.uk/20100807034701/http:/archive.
cabinetoffice.gov.uk/farming/pdf/
PC%20Report2.pdf
15 Some are outlined here http://www.
eating-better.org/uploads/Documents/
EB_policybriefing_2016.pdf7 What needs to happen next Our diverse membership – which includes UK farmer, worker, environmental, development, consumer and public health organisations – is clear that the above principles should be paramount in reform discussions and present the policy ideas as the basis for debate. We also propose: 1. Pilots are needed to test any new universal system of farm support before the transition phase and implementation. 2. Stakeholder and public discussions – as near to communities as possible to facilitate engagement by all stakeholders not just those with time and resources to leave work, discussing what is meant by public goods, and testing various scenarios for acceptability and views on whether these would achieve desired outcomes. 3. An adequate period of review which allows stakeholders to comment and a transparent and accountable process for taking views into account, with government publishing a report on how it has listened and used stakeholder insights to shape policy. Contact: Vicki Hird vicki@sustainweb.org Coordinator of the Sustainable Farming Campaign for Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming. See Sustain’s website for more information on our work: • Farming - www.sustainweb.org/foodandfarmingpolicy • Brexit - www.sustainweb.org/brexit
Briefing
Beyond 2020
New farm policy
A Sustain publication
May 2017
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming,
advocates food and agriculture policies and practices
that enhance the health and welfare of people and
animals, improve the living and working environment,
enrich society and culture, and promote equity.
It represents around 100 national public interest
organisations working at international, national,
regional and local level.
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming
sustain@sustainweb.org
www.sustainweb.org
Sustain, Development House
56-64 Leonard Street
London EC2A 4LT
Endorsements
020 7065 0902
The following organisations support the publication
and intent of this briefing. Given the scope of issues
included this does not necessarily imply endorsement
of every detailed recommendation.
• Compassion in World Farming (CIWF)
• Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA Network UK)
• Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE)
• EcoS Consultancy
• Family Farmers Association
• Food Ethics Council
• Friends of the Earth
• Global Justice Now
• Landworkers’ Alliance
• New Economics Foundation (NEF)
• Organic Farmers & Growers (OF&G)
• Organic Research Centre
• Pasture Fed Livestock Association (PFLA)
• People Need Nature
Produced with the Support of the • Real Farming Trust
Friends Provident Charitable Foundation • Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
• Soil association
Sustain is a Registered Charity No. 1018643 • TraidcraftYou can also read
