Responding to the latest State of Nature report, NFU president Minette Batters said: “For Britain’s farmers and growers, the environments we work in are our homes and often have been for generations. That’s why we care passionately about protecting the great British countryside and huge amounts of work have been carried out through agri-environment schemes and industry-led initiatives to boost nature, create habitats for wildlife, and benefit soil health and water quality.
“For example, hundreds of flower rich field margins have been developed to provide habitats for bees and other insects, while 149 species were recorded during this year’s Big Farmland Bird Count, including 33 species from the Red List for Birds of Conservation Concern.
“And as part of delivering our ambition to reach net zero by 2040, we are working in a variety of ways to reduce emissions through improved productivity on farm and changing the way we use the land in a bid to capture more carbon as well as planting more trees and hedges.
“What we ask is that proposals to boost nature recovery simply sit alongside equally ambitious plans for food production. This should really matter to everyone to protect and enhance the UK’s food security. As the past 18 months have shown, food supply chains are fragile, but we can and must do more, supported by the right policy framework that values both quality, sustainable food and the environment in which it is produced.
“It’s in everyone’s interests to ensure climate-friendly British farming in the future, with a domestic agriculture policy that enables our farmers and growers to embrace accessible schemes that are fit for purpose. These schemes must offer fair rewards and strong incentives for participation, so farm businesses can continue to be productive and profitable while continuing to deliver the environmental benefits we all want to see.”
