As New Year’s resolutions go, the promises unveiled last January in the 25 Year Environment Plan were ambitious. One year on, how successful has the UK Government been in sticking to its resolution to hand on the environment in a better state than it inherited it? Our Public Policy Officer, Matt Williams, takes a look.…
This weekend, we joined 54 other NGOs in signing an open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May, asking her to keep her clear commitment to restoring the natural environment we all rely upon by ensuring the forthcoming Agriculture Bill secures the public goods society needs. By public goods, we mean the benefits that we all…
Last night over 50 politicians joined more than 35 farmers and representatives from over 20 NGOs to celebrate sustainable farming across the UK at a farmers’ market held in Parliament. With the Agriculture Bill expected in the House of Commons this month, there was no better time to demonstrate the growing cross-sector consensus on the…
Following the launch this week of Defra’s consultation on future farming policy, our Senior Policy Programme Manager, Marcus Gilleard, shares our views on the Government’s vision, how that impacts the National Trust, and work we’re doing to contribute to the debate. Following hot on the heels of Michael Gove’s Oxford Farming Speech and release of…
Today the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has launched a consultation on the future of farming – Health and harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit. The consultation gives an indication of the Government’s current thinking on farming policy after Brexit, ahead of the Agriculture Bill, coming…
Today MPs will discuss the future of agricultural policy after the UK leaves the European Union. We, along with RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts, have outlined our views ahead of today’s Westminster Hall debate. In brief we’re calling for… Public money for public benefits: Farmers and land managers to be properly rewarded for the vital…
In this blog Tom Lancaster, Senior Land Use Policy Officer at RSPB, outlines why new proposals for a Sustainable Farming and Land Management policy could secure the future for English farming after Brexit. A day after the Natural Capital Committee called for farm payments to shift toward ‘the provision of public benefits’, we have today…
