STORY
The Government has announced £290 million for new farming schemes intended to make agricultural support simpler, fairer and more accessible. Ministers said the package is designed to boost food production, strengthen farm resilience, support nature recovery and improve long-term food security.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the redesigned schemes would respond to concerns about the previous Sustainable Farming Incentive. Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said farmers were fundamental to food security and that the earlier scheme had directed a quarter of funding to four per cent of farms.
The announcement is likely to be closely scrutinised by farming organisations after months of pressure over the transition from older agricultural payments. Ministers argue that the revised approach will help more farms improve productivity while protecting the natural environment on which food production depends.