Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his planned timetable is for introducing the advanced level of the Sustainable Farming Incentive organic standard.

Healthy soils are the foundation of sustainable farming and underpin a range of environmental benefits, as well as food production. Two of the first batch of standards to be rolled out under the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme in 2022 focus on soils. The soil standards will be widely applicable and will therefore provide opportunity for a large number of farmers to be rewarded for sustainable soil management. They will improve soil health, structure, organic matter and biology.

This year we’re also rolling out the introductory level of the moorland standard and, a bit later in the year, vet farm visits to help improve animal health and welfare. Further standards on nutrient management, integrated pest management, hedgerows, and the advanced levels for the soils standards will follow in 2023, with more standards being introduced in 2024 and 2025. All types of farmers, including organic farmers, will be able to benefit from applying these standards. The organic standard is scheduled to be in place from 2025.