The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has claimed that its new Farming Roadmap "marks the most significant moment for English agriculture since the Second World War".

Defra outlined that its plan, which will run until 2050, sets out how farmers can utilise nature-based solutions to adapt to the growing impacts of extreme weather and climate.

Collaborative models, such as co-operatives, are promoted within the roadmap, with the department hoping that they will "enable collective purchasing and joint investment".

The roadmap also announced that seasonal worker visas will be available until at least 2030, "providing reassurance" to the UK horticulture sector.

In addition to this, a further £53 million for Defra's Farming Innovation Programme has been allocated by the government, bringing total innovation funding this year to £123 million.

Defra

The department highlighted that English farmers produce around 65% of the nation's food, manage 70% of England’s land, and underpin the £153 billion agri-food sector, which is recognised as one of the country's Critical National Infrastructure.

However, Defra Secretary of State Emma Reynolds said that she believes that farmers' contribution to the nation "has never been valued in the way it deserves."

Reynolds commented: "Our roadmap marks a shift away from only looking to the next harvest and towards a plan that gives farmers the long-term clarity they need to innovate, invest and grow with confidence for generations to come.

"We are looking at how farming is valued economically and socially to ensure it receives the recognition it deserves," she added.

One of the ways that the roadmap aims to ensure that the farming sector receives its deserved recognition is through a review of how the economic value of agriculture is measured, conducted by Defra.

The department claimed that "a single figure of 0.6% of Gross Value Added is misleading because it captures only primary agricultural activities", with Defra now planning to develop new supplementary statistics that will include the wider food supply chain.

Sustainability

Defra stated that it will work in partnership with industry to create sector growth plans, firstly for horticulture and poultry, with the aim of bringing farmers, retailers and investors together on the government's Farming and Food Partnership Board.

The roadmap details how the UK will cut EU trade friction through a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement (SPS), which is expected to be agreed upon next month at the EU-UK summit.

According to Defra, farmers will also be offered advice on how they can reduce reliance on costly inputs like fertiliser through new technology and smarter nutrient management.

The department stated that Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes will become "more focused and better targeted" as a result of the roadmap.

It outlined that mitigation and conversion payments will be phased out over time "as good practice becomes standard practice, with regulatory standards increasing in some areas, while long-term payments for public goods such as habitat creation will continue".