What a year it has been on many fronts. Whilst the weather here in the North West has delivered us with just-in-time rain showers, I am acutely aware that has not been the case for many farmers around most of the country!
Climate and economic challenges
The continued impact of the prolonged dry spell can be clearly seen in many reservoirs, where water levels are really low. 皇家华人continues to monitor the situation and has continually raised with government the need for a fresh approach and a commitment to national water infrastructure. In the uplands too much rain is often more of a problem.
There is no doubt that the climate is changing and while we are all responding to the urgent need to do what we can to reduce our own impacts, we are also looking at where we can adapt our farming practices.
Just like the weather, we have no control over the challenges we face when it comes to energy supply either. Triple digit inflation for some farm inputs has created real issues for many farmers including here in the uplands.
Many of our recent stock sales have reported buoyant returns for sellers, but the input costs associated with the next production cycle will be eye-watering so once again we will all need to be clear in our business thinking and planning. In some sectors that may mean reduced production levels 鈥� with associated knock-on effects for us all.
SFI remains inaccessible
Within the context of planning for the future, it is still very disappointing that the SFI 2022 scheme remains inaccessible for many upland farmers 鈥� especially those with commons or environmental schemes still in place. It is extremely frustrating that despite our regular dialogue with Defra, the uplands in general seems to lag behind when it comes to actual delivery. If you are experiencing difficulty with SFI 2022 please get in touch with Call First or your regional office.
Further levels of SFI are still in the pipeline along with the Local Nature Recovery element of ELM. It is unlikely you will be able to assess how or if it fits with your business going forward until 2024.聽
It is easy to become despondent about the progress of the ELM schemes and that frustration is felt by many Uplands Forum members who sit on a number of SFI and LNR development groups, especially when faced with a strong theme of 鈥榬educing livestock鈥�. SFI is about sustainable farming specifically and needs to work alongside viable farming businesses to support the environment.
Well-managed livestock deliver benefits for the environment
We will continue to fight for livestock in the hills and support our vision with work from research organisations on the benefit of well-managed livestock to the environment. Defra has a stated ambition for SFI to appeal to at least 70% of BPS claimants. However, unless the scheme is attractive to farmers 鈥� offering a simple, well-rewarded and easily administered approach 鈥� they may well find that their ambition is not easily fulfilled. Let鈥檚 also not forget that by 2024 BPS will have been reduced by 50%.
The Farming In Protected Landscape (FiPL) programme is another source of funding that some of you will have heard of and possibly applied for. As the title suggests, it is primarily aimed at funding activity in National Parks and AONBs. It鈥檚 worth pointing out that if you farm just outside these designations you can still apply as there is a responsibility to consider these applications.
Since the concept of an agricultural transition period was first introduced 鈥� managing the journey from the Common Agriculture Policy to our new domestic arrangements 鈥� much has changed both at home and across the globe.
Food security must be a national priority
Food security, including securing our domestic production base, has to be a national priority. Securing the future of farming and farmers is central to being able to successfully deliver for both the good of society and the uplands!
On the Uplands Forum, our foremost priority is to continue to remind the government and others that upland farming can contribute significantly to both the food and climate change agendas. However, to ensure that we can maximise our contribution to the nation and remain financially viable, we must secure domestic farming policies that are fit for purpose and have farmers front and centre of development and delivery.