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<p>Defra has not yet assessed the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission's report
in detail. However, we will certainly digest it fully in due course and consider the
impact on our work of its findings and recommendations.</p><p>Our future policy will
help farmers continue to provide a supply of healthy, home-grown produce to high environmental
and animal welfare standards. Furthermore, our plans for future farming must tackle
climate change. This is one of the most urgent challenges facing the world. So, as
we design our future agricultural policy, we can deliver the pace of change on land
management for environmental benefits that the EU has never managed to achieve. Our
farmers and land managers will play a crucial role in the national effort to reach
Net Zero and our policies will help them do that.</p><p>Domestically, reaching our
Net Zero target is one of this Government's top priorities. We know that reaching
Net Zero will be a challenge, requiring action across the economy. This will mean
changes to the way land is managed to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.
We will support the sector to make these changes through the schemes set out in this
plan. Simultaneously, we need to protect and increase our carbon stores, increasing
afforestation and peat restoration rates across England, whilst supporting the adaptiveness
and resilience of these ecosystems to risks which may arise under a changing climate.
All three components of our new Environmental Land Management scheme will help deliver
on this.</p><p>Our Environmental Land Management scheme is the cornerstone of our
new agricultural policy. It is intended to provide a powerful vehicle for achieving
the goals of the 25 Year Environment Plan and commitment to net zero emissions by
2050, while supporting our rural economy. Farmers and land managers will be paid to
improve the environment, improve animal health and welfare, and reduce carbon emissions.</p><p>The
Government is committed to taking action to mitigate climate change and to adapt to
its impact. Defra is looking at ways to reduce agricultural emissions controlled directly
within the farm boundary, considering a broad range of measures including improvements
in on-farm efficiency. Improvements in agricultural practice mean that since 1990
we are producing a kilo of pork with 37% less emissions. Efficiency gains in dairy
farming mean that we are now producing 9% more milk than we were in 2000 with 23%
fewer cows. The Government recognises the importance of reducing emissions further
in these sectors.</p>
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