Farming and Food Production: Land Use Framework Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Baroness Rock
Main Page: Baroness Rock (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Baroness Rock's debates with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Farming and Food Production: Land Use Framework
Baroness Rock Excerpts(3 weeks ago)
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Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
The right reverend Prelate makes a really important point. In our trade agreements, we have been very clear that we will not have food that is produced to lower standards than those in this country. That has always been a red line for Defra during trade agreements. That will continue. The environmental aspects are also really important, because there is no point in us increasing our standards if that gap is then filled with lower standards. I am certainly very keen to continue to promote this within Defra.
Baroness Rock (Con)
My Lords, I declare my interest as a tenant farmer. I am pleased that the Minister recognises that any strategy for multifunctional land must include strong protections for tenant farmers. That is because tenure will impact on how a farm business can engage in land use change. Currently, the design of agri-environment schemes can result in perverse incentives for landlords, including the end of tenancies. We must also ensure that government policy does not incentivise landlords to remove farming tenants in favour of solar developments, as the noble Lord, Lord Cameron, alluded to, which would undermine farming businesses and domestic food security. Has the department done any assessment on how the land use framework will impact the tenant farmers who are responsible for managing and farming 32% of England’s agricultural land, often in areas that the land use framework views as having high potential for change?
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Lab)
The land use framework will work in tandem with the farming road map, which very much recognises the important role that tenants play and the support that they need. One of the things we also need to really work with is looking at lengths of tenancy. Years ago they were 20 or 25 years long, and now they are down to five years. It is much more difficult for tenants to invest and look forward to a profitable future when they have such short tenancies. That is absolutely key to recognising many of the challenges faced by tenant farmers.