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<p>We will not change the profile of Direct Payments reductions.</p><p>Area based
subsidy gave half the farming budget to 10% of landowners. The Basic Payment Scheme
did not support food production and did nothing to stop the decline in nature. We
must seize the opportunity to establish a different system of rewards and incentives
in agriculture. I am pleased that we are supporting farmers with the choices that
they make for their own holdings.</p><p>Last month we announced steps to assist farmers
with the availability of fertilisers for the coming growing season, to help address
uncertainty amongst growers and keep costs down for farmers.</p><p>The planned changes
to the use of urea fertiliser will be delayed by at least a year, helping farmers
manage costs and giving them more time to adapt to pressures on the supply of ammonium
nitrate fertilisers. We are also encouraging farmers to make use of organic fertilisers.
Farmers will be further supported by new slurry storage grants introduced this year.</p><p>Alongside
this, we have published further details of the early rollout of Sustainable Farming
Incentive. The scheme will help farmers move towards more sustainable farming practices
over time; supporting farmers to build the health and fertility of their soil, and
to reduce soil erosion which are essential for food production, helping to bolster
food security and the longer-term resilience of the sector.</p>
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