Organic Farming

(asked on 16th July 2020) - View Source

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to increase the amount of land which is organically farmed.


Answered by
Victoria Prentis Portrait
Victoria Prentis
Attorney General
This question was answered on 21st July 2020

The Government believes farmers are best placed to determine the best method of farming for their land and specific circumstances. While this is a private business decision, we encourage environmentally friendly farming through numerous routes which includes organics.

Our Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme is the cornerstone of our new agricultural policy. Founded on the principle of "public money for public goods", ELM is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by 2050, while supporting our rural economy. The ELM scheme is being designed collaboratively with stakeholders. We are considering how more environmentally sustainable farming approaches, including organic farming, may fit within ELM where these contribute towards the delivery of environmental public goods.

We will offer financial assistance to enable farmers, foresters, and growers to invest in the equipment, technology, and infrastructure that they need to improve their productivity, manage the environment sustainably, and deliver other public goods.

Until 2024, farmers may apply for Countryside Stewardship grants to support them whilst converting to organic production. The Defra Organics Farming Statistics United Kingdom 2019 stated that nearly half a million hectares were farmed organically in the UK. This is an increase of 2.4% since 2018.

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/organic-farming-statistics-2019

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