2 minute read
FARMING POTENTIAL
There are a plethora of different environmental schemes for farmers and land managers in England to get to grips with.
Some offer similar, or overlapping, incentives that can allow choice, but as most will not allow double funding, it is not always an easy task to ascertain which is best for an individual farm business and the environment. We need to ensure that funding reaches those carrying out the work, and one of the best ways is for farmers to work together and lead the projects.
Farmer clusters have demonstrated their value in collaborative actions for the environment since they were established in 2012. Th ere are currently several hundred cluster groups. Some are self-funded, while others have sponsorship or funding through the Natural England Facilitation Fund.
Th ey demonstrate a common purpose for their members, cover large areas of land, and enable practical management of landscape-scale projects. Th e clusters facilitate discussion, training and inspiration, as well as the opportunity to plan bigger projects and deliver greater environmental gains. Successful groups have devised solutions to apply for funding from a range of sources and allocate it fairly. Th e environmental gains that can be achieved by working at landscape-scale are fundamentally greater that any individual could attain, but there appears to be few other incentives for farmers to work together.
Landscape Recovery scheme
Th e new Landscape Recovery scheme is designed to target blocks of between 500 ha and 5,000 ha, so will require some degree of collaboration. Defra needs to consider adding layers to the current proposals to demonstrate the additional gain of working together and provide an incentive for farmers to cluster together.
Defra is looking for biodiversity uplift within these schemes, and working at a landscape-scale has the potential to show such changes in farming practices that demonstrate environmental gain. However, to get this buy in, there needs to be a signifi cant incentive that matches the business needs of the farms that are involved.
Th e Landscape Recovery scheme, which is focused on landscape-scale land use change, is, on the face of it, the obvious choice for cluster groups. However, it will not be appropriate for everyone. It will favour the creation of new habitat, planting trees and restoring peatland, but it is not suitable for large-scale regenerative farming projects, for example.
Th at is not to say that the way food is produced is not important to the large-scale recovery of our landscape. Rather, the route to achieving this will be different, via the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Local Nature Recovery schemes. Ideally, there should be a premium available to farmers who are working together to both produce food and protect and enhance the environment.
However, there is a risk that the work of farmer clusters in driving sustainable farming at scale will not be fully recognised in these schemes, which seems a missed opportunity.
Farmer clusters can be an effective means of changing our farming practices towards enhancing the environment, but their value needs to be harnessed now. Th ey require clear guidance on how to use the funds available to help them make these changes.
Th e potential of these groups is there, but they need to be utilised in a much more cohesive way.
