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1504782

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2022
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Food Supply
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of grade 1 to 3A agricultural land for growing (a) biofuels and (b) animal feed on food resilience; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	47498
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/09/2022 answer text <p>The UK has a high degree of food security which is built on supply from diverse sources; strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. We produce 61% of all the food we need, and 74% of food which we can grow or rear in the UK for all or part of the year, and these figures have changed little over the last 20 years. For the cereals crops that are produced domestically – such as for human consumption and animal feed – the UK is 88% self-sufficient.</p><p> </p><p>The first UK Food Security Report (UKFSR) was published in December 2021. The UKFSR covers food security in the widest sense from global food availability and sustainability to domestic supply chain resilience, household food security and food safety. The report describes trends in land use in the UK to have been generally stable over the past 30 years. Defra will continue to monitor these trends in light of competing pressures on land use.</p><p> </p><p>In 2020, 121 thousand hectares of agricultural land in the UK were used to grow crops for bioenergy. This area represents just under 2.1% of the arable land in the UK. 30% of land used for bioenergy was for biofuel (biodiesel and bioethanol) for the UK road transport market with the remainder mostly used for heat and power. Within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation there is a cap on the total amount of crop derived biofuels that can be used. In 2022 this currently stands at 3.67% of total fuel under this scheme.</p><p>The demand for biofuel crops such as wheat and sugar beet is subject to global market prices and supply. For farmers, the opportunity to sell into biofuels offers a secondary market for their surplus or lower quality crops and associated agricultural residues. Growing crops for the biofuel sector offers farmers more routes to market for their harvest and flexibility in their crop rotations. However, consideration must also be given to land biodiversity and carbon-store value.</p><p>For the livestock sector, and meat production, animal feed is a vital input. Cereals and oilseeds make up a significant proportion of animal feed, many of which are grown by our great British arable farmers. Resilience for animal feed is supported by the ability to access global markets to buy and sell cereals, alongside other necessary feed ingredients.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 28/09/2022 17:02:22 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1542444

	registered interest
	date	15/11/2022
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2022 to Question 68522 on Environmental Land Management Schemes: Greenhouse Gas Emissions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the projected reduction in agricultural emissions on the requirement in the Net Zero Strategy for emissions from agriculture and land use to fall by at least 12MtCO2e p.a. by 2037 in England.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	87811
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2022 answer text <p>We previously published our assessment of outcomes expected to be delivered by the Environmental Land Management Schemes at this link: <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fenvironmental-land-management-schemes-outcomes%2Fenvironmental-land-management-schemes-outcomes&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Cb8328f2edd604c8b6b1308dacd6699be%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638048137789365526%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=7J9Rz0qi5o8tIBt%2FzKYho3yW63mDsiPXTnXsWZMeSqg%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-land-management-schemes-outcomes/environmental-land-management-schemes-outcomes</a></p><p>Further to this we will also continue to pursue further opportunities through the schemes to support farmers and land managers' contribution to delivering our Carbon Budgets, including through tree planting and peat restoration.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 23/11/2022 16:58:24 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1542457

	registered interest
	date	15/11/2022
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Greenhouse Gas Emissions
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer 30 October to Question 68522 on Environmental Land Management Schemes: Greenhouse Gas Emissions, whether her Department has taken steps to scale up existing land management policies to close the gap between the estimated emissions reductions from agriculture and land use in England of (a) 6 MtCO2e p.a. in Carbon Budget 6 for 2033-37 and (b) 12MtCO2e p.a by 2037 in England as set out in the Net Zero Strategy; and if she will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	87812
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/11/2022 answer text <p>In October 2021 we published our Net Zero Strategy, including indicative sector pathways to meet net zero targets, including for the agriculture, forestry and other land use sector. As published in January 2022, we anticipate the collective actions of farmers under our environmental land management scheme agreements, together with our other farming offers such as the Farming Investment Fund, will decarbonise agricultural emissions by a total of up to 6 MtCO2e p.a. in Carbon Budget 6 (2033-37) in England.</p><p>The existing Countryside Stewardship scheme offer land managers a range of grants which support net zero ambitions. This includes the creation, management and restoration of habitats beneficial for carbon sequestration such as peatlands, grasslands, moorlands, woodlands and hedgerows, reducing emissions through organic conversion and management, actions to improve air quality, and slurry management.</p><p> </p><p>We are designing the new environmental land management schemes so that farmers will be paid to deliver climate change mitigation alongside other public goods.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 23/11/2022 16:33:27 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1203274

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2020
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Land Use
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent estimate his Department has made of the total area of farmland (a) in the UK and (b) abroad used to grow (i) fruit and vegetables for UK consumption, (ii) animal feed crops for UK use and (iii) bioenergy crops for UK use; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	59208
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2020 answer text <p>The latest available areas of crops grown in the UK are in the table below. We do not collect any information on the end use of the crops so we are unable to quantify how much of this area is used for UK consumption. Similarly, we have no information on the areas grown abroad that are used for UK consumption (trade data is only based on volumes).</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Crop</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Area</strong> <strong>(thousand hectares)</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>Fruit and vegetables</p></td><td><p>149</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019</p></td><td><p>Animal feed crops<sup>(1)</sup></p></td><td><p>412</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018</p></td><td><p>Bioenergy crops</p></td><td><p>94</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: June 2019 Agricultural and Horticultural Survey, United Kingdom. Department for Transport Renewable Fuels Transport Obligation data.</p><p> </p><p>Notes: <sup>(1)</sup> Animal feed crops include forage maize (England only), field beans and peas for harvesting dry, root crops, brassicas, fodder beet and all other crops for stockfeeding. Cereals are excluded as we are unable to split between animal feed and human uses.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 22/06/2020 14:12:25 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1546920

	registered interest
	date	30/11/2022
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Methane
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans she has to (a) mandate and (b) support UK farmers to reduce their methane emissions through better slurry management such as through (i) acidification of slurry stores, or (ii) methane capture and processing.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	99798
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2022 answer text <p>Investing in proper slurry storage is a critical step livestock farmers need to take to make best use of their organic nutrients and prevent pollution, including reducing methane emissions. Defra has launched a new Slurry Infrastructure grant this autumn to support farmers to reduce these risks. The grant will help livestock farmers already using a slurry system to upgrade their slurry storage, to reach six months storage capacity and to cover grant funded stores with impermeable covers.</p><p>We intend to adapt the Slurry Infrastructure grant offer over time to ensure that any public funding for better slurry management supports adoption of innovative treatments such as acidification and circular use of slurry such as methane capture for energy and fuel. Grants were available earlier this year for acidification of slurry stores through the Farming Transformation Fund.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 08/12/2022 15:54:53 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1563569

	registered interest
	date	20/12/2022
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Pest Control
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken to support farmers to move away from using pesticides and towards integrated pest management.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	114595
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/01/2023 answer text <p>Integrated Pest Management lies at the heart of our approach to minimise the environmental impact of pesticides and is a key tool for businesses facing the challenges of pesticide resistance, removal of pesticides from the market, and changing pest pressures due to climate change. All professional users of pesticides are encouraged to follow the principles of IPM. This is supported through formal training requirements, guidance, conditions of pesticide use and industry assurance schemes.</p><p> </p><p>We are working to increase the availability of tools to support the use of IPM. We recently commissioned a package of research projects that will bring together scientific evidence underpinning IPM and to look at ways of further encouraging its uptake. This work will support farmers’ access to the most effective IPM tools available and ensure that we understand changing trends in pest threats across the UK.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 09/01/2023 10:24:17 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1624751

	registered interest
	date	28/04/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Pollution Control
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce agricultural pollution as a means for improving the ecological status of rivers in England.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	183240
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/05/2023 answer text <p>We have set a new ambitious, legally binding target under the Environment Act 2021 to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agriculture entering the water environment by 40% by 2038. Through the Environmental Improvement Plan, we have also committed to review our farming regulations to ensure they are fit for purpose for our environmental and farming ambitions. Additionally, we have recently published our Plan for Water which will transform our management of the water system, deliver cleaner water for nature and people, and secure a plentiful water supply.</p><p> </p><p>There are several regulations in place in England to prevent water pollution in agriculture, including the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/151/made" target="_blank">Farming Rules for Water </a>regulations that require land managers to take reasonable precautions to reduce and prevent diffuse pollution from agriculture.   We are working to increase regulatory compliance by boosting funding to the Environment Agency to deliver 4,000 inspections per year- targeting protected nature sites in an unfavourable condition.</p><p> </p><p>We are also tackling agricultural pollution through advice and incentives that include:</p><ul><li>expansion of the successful Catchment Sensitive Farming programme providing 1-2-1 farmer advice and guidance by doubling the funding to £15 million p.a. to cover all farmland in England.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>launch of the first round of the Slurry Infrastructure grant, providing funding of £34 million for farmers to upgrade their slurry store facilities; a critical step to allow livestock farmers to make best use of their organic nutrients and prevent pollution.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>supporting sustainable farming practices to improve water quality and create new habitats through the three Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes.</li></ul><p>o delivering six new Sustainable Farming Incentive standards this year with actions to improve the water environment by reducing runoff and erosion, maintaining soil cover and creating buffer strips and margins.</p><p>o Countryside Stewardship will pay for more targeted actions in specific locations, features, and habitats to provide natural flood management, protecting the water environment.</p><p>o Landscape Recovery will pay for longer-term, larger-scale projects to improve the natural environment. The first round of projects will restore 400 miles of rivers and streams.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 10/05/2023 17:34:26 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1464056

	registered interest
	date	18/05/2022
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Subsidies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing support payments and grants to farmers in England in the context of rates of agricultural inflation.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	4535
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/06/2022 answer text <p>In light of recently rising input costs and price volatility around certain agricultural commodities such as nitrogen fertiliser, the Government is planning to change the way we make payments under the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in 2022. Eligible farmers will now receive their payment in two instalments - half from the end of July and the rest from December 2022. This will be a permanent change to Direct Payments that will remain for the rest of the agricultural transition. By doing this, the Government intends to inject cash into farm businesses, helping them to make business decisions sooner, with more confidence.</p><p> </p><p>This builds on the increase in revenue payment rates for the Countryside Stewardship (CS) scheme to reflect the change in costs since 2013, which Defra announced in January 2022. The majority of payment rates increased, on average by around 30%, although rate changes vary from option to option. These changes affected around 30,000 agreements.</p><p> </p><p>In March 2022, Defra began rolling out the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) to recipients of the BPS. SFI will help with the costs of sowing nitrogen fixing plants and green manures in crops to substitute some fertiliser requirements for the coming season, as well as reducing the dependence on manufactured fertilisers which are impacted by the price of gas. Rising fertiliser prices highlight that we need to find alternatives and move towards more organic-based fertiliser products. SFI is designed to help farmers move to these new sustainable farming methods gradually - which will improve environmental conditions of the land, while building the long-term resilience of our food security and production.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State recently announced a range of measures in support of the current situation, such as delaying changes to the use of urea fertiliser to help farmers manage their costs and improving statutory guidance for use of slurry. Defra has also created the Fertiliser Taskforce - where Government and industry are working together to help improve market confidence and provide farmers with the information they need to make business decisions on fertiliser use.</p><p> </p><p>Towards the end of this year, farmers will be able to apply for slurry storage grants, helping them to meet the Farming Rules for Water and reducing their dependence on artificial fertilisers. This grant will contribute towards the costs of covered slurry store construction projects, helping farmers to get six months storage capacity.</p><p> </p><p>Defra is supporting investment in technology and research to further improve productivity. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund has offered grants of up to £48m to over 4,000 applicants - enabling farmers to invest in equipment, technology and infrastructure. We have also announced a new Adding Value theme - a £30 million fund helping farmers and growers to process, diversify and add-value to their products. Furthermore, we have announced new Research Starter Projects - open to individual farming, growing or forestry businesses in England to develop feasibility studies to accelerate research and development.</p><p> </p><p>The Government continues to monitor the wider context of global supplies that can impact farm income and productivity, as well as take-up of our agri-environment and other schemes. Defra will use the findings to inform our plans throughout the agricultural transition.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 01/06/2022 08:35:40 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1672732

	registered interest
	date	23/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Subsidies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the guidance on cross compliance updated on 14 February 2023, which (a) cross compliance standards and (b) rules for participants in the Basic Payments Scheme or Countryside Stewardship will cease to have effect in 2024 and are not otherwise provided for in their entirety in English law as of 23 November 2023.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	3459
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) cross compliance rules 1, 4, 5 and 7a are not fully replicated in existing domestic legislation as follows.</p><p> </p><p>GAEC 1, which requires the maintenance of green cover, non-cultivation of land and spraying of pesticides within two metres of a water course. Domestic legislation, the Farming Rules for Water, however, provides rules preventing the application of manure and fertiliser close to a water course. It also prescribes that farmers must take all reasonable precautions to prevent pollution from cultivation practices, such as spraying pesticides. The use of pesticides is also set out in the Code of Practice for using Plant Protection Products.</p><p> </p><p>GAEC 4 and GAEC 5, which require a minimum soil cover and measures to minimise soil erosion. Again, the Farming Rules for Water sets out generalised soil cover and erosion measures where it may prevent agricultural diffuse pollution. There is no reference to mitigation of wind erosion in the Farming Rules for Water. GAEC rules 4 and 5 are not covered elsewhere in domestic legislation.</p><p> </p><p>GAEC 7a, which requires the maintenance of green cover within two metres of the centre of a hedge and the prohibition of cutting a hedge between 1 March and 31 August. Also, the removal of stone walls, earth and stone banks. Defra has recently consulted on new legislation to replace the cross compliance hedgerow protections. As set out in January 2023 Defra plans to pay, as part of Environmental Land Management schemes, for new actions to maintain drystone walls, stone and earth banks in good condition.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 04/12/2023 16:41:19 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas

1684860

	registered interest
	date	24/01/2024
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Agriculture: Subsidies
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to replace the cross-compliance regulations for rural payments which ceased to have effect on 31 December 2023.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Pavilion
	tabling member printed	Caroline Lucas
	uin	11301
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2024 answer text <p>Farm standards following the end of cross compliance are being maintained through existing and ongoing domestic regulations that protect the environment, public, animal and plant health and animal welfare. These regulations cover most of the cross-compliance rules. Almost all of the rules that are not in underlying legislation have cover through existing and forthcoming guidance, regulation or incentives. We will seek to regulate to maintain hedgerow protections when parliamentary time allows.</p> answering member constituency Sherwood answering member printed Mark Spencer question first answered 06/02/2024 17:04:18 answering member 4055 label Biography information for Sir Mark Spencer
	tabling member	3930 label Biography information for Caroline Lucas