Why proper support for farming matters so much for nature

Farmers manage much of the landscape that our wildlife depends on. In England, around 70% of land is farmed, making the future of nature closely linked to the way that farmland is managed. When space is made for nature, wildlife can thrive alongside productive agriculture. 

The good news is that many farmers want to do more to help nature recover. Unfortunately, the support available isn't always making that easy. 

With climate change bringing more extreme weather (such as doughts and floods), healthy soils, thriving habitats and resilient farming systems are increasingly important. 

Recent problems with the UK Government's farming support schemes have shone a spotlight on a bigger question: how can public funding best help farmers deliver for nature while supporting a thriving countryside? 

The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) is the UK Government's entry-level scheme for paying farmers in England to take action for nature alongside food production. It is part of the wider Environmental Land Management (ELM) programme, which also includes more ambitious, higher-tier schemes. 

Farmers can receive payments for activities such as improving soil health, managing hedgerows, creating habitat for wildlife and protecting water quality. 

The principle behind these schemes is simple: farmers provide public benefits that the market doesn't always reward, such as cleaner rivers, healthier soils, thriving wildlife and resilience to climate change. Public funding helps support this work. 

Earlier this year, applications to the latest SFI offer opened and then closed within hours, leaving many farmers unable to access funding. 

While this was frustrating for those affected, it also exposed wider problems with how nature-friendly farming support is currently delivered. 

Although SFI has helped many farmers take positive action for nature, concerns remain about whether the limited funding available is being directed towards the actions that can deliver the greatest benefits for wildlife and the environment. 

At the same time, some of the more ambitious higher-tier environmental schemes remain difficult for many farmers to access. 

What recent events have shown is that demand for nature-friendly farming is not the problem. Many farmers are keen to play a greater role in nature's recovery and are looking for the right support to help them do so.

Alongside SFI, more ambitious higher-tier Environmental Land Management schemes can support larger-scale action for nature, climate and water quality. These schemes have a strong track record of delivering environmental benefits, but too many farmers are unable to access them. Complex application processes, delays and a lack of support can all stand in the way. 

This matters because many farmers who are willing and able to do more for nature are being held back by the system. While the UK Government's commitment to increase ELM funding to approximately £2 billion a year by 2029 is a positive step, evidence suggests that around £3.1 billion a year is needed if nature-friendly farming is to deliver the scale of change required to meet environmental targets. We need much more of this budget to be invested where it counts, in the higher-tier schemes. 

The good news is that investing in nature-friendly farming is money well spent. Healthy soils, cleaner rivers, thriving wildlife and resilient landscapes all support businesses and food production. Research suggests that for every £1 invested in nature-friendly farming, society receives around £3 in wider benefits, making it an investment in the long-term health and resilience.

The UK Government should make sure funding for nature-friendly farming delivers the greatest possible benefits for nature, climate and food production. 

That means:

Nature-friendly farming already works. 

At RSPB Hope Farm, a farm wildlife approach based on practical conservation measures has helped deliver: 

• A 200% increase in breeding birds. 

• A 400% increase in butterflies. 

• A 1,300% increase in wintering birds. 

These results show what can be achieved when farmers are supported to integrate nature into productive farming businesses. 

With the right policies and investment, farmers can produce food, restore wildlife, improve rivers and soils, and help tackle climate change at the same time.

The debate around SFI is about much more than a single farming scheme. It is about what the future of England's countryside should look like. 

Farmers have a vital role to play in helping wildlife recover, tackling climate change and building resilient rural landscapes. Many are already taking action, stepping up and want to do more. 

The challenge now is making sure funding focusses on actions that can make the biggest difference, including delivering the right combinations of resources in the right places. That means creating Environmental Land Management schemes that reward meaningful environmental outcomes, makes ambitious schemes easier to access and gives farmers the confidence to invest for the long term. 

With the right support, farmers can continue producing food while helping nature recover. We need both.