Devon County Council urges government to protect future of farming

Devon County Council (DCC) has issued a strong appeal to the Government to protect the future of farming, following a motion led by Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs and a fifth-generation sheep farmer from rural Torrington.

Addressing fellow councillors at County Hall, Cllr Cottle-Hunkin highlighted the vital role farming plays in Devon’s economy, environment, and food security, while warning of the growing financial and emotional pressures faced by the sector.

According to government data, Devon’s farmers manage over 1.7 million hectares of land, with grazing livestock and dairy farms accounting for nearly 55 per cent of holdings. However, total income from farming in the region fell by 32 per cent in 2023, with milk and beef remaining the largest contributors.

Cllr Cottle-Hunkin raised particular concern about proposed changes to family farm taxation and the sudden closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) applications, which she said had created significant uncertainty and emotional distress for many rural families.

Councillors are now calling on the Government to reinstate the SFI with adequate funding and long-term support, enabling farmers to plan with confidence and continue their vital role as environmental stewards.

The motion also highlights the mental health crisis within the farming community. A recent study found that 91 per cent of UK farmers see poor mental health as the “biggest hidden problem” in the industry, with many working more than 60 hours per week and facing isolation in rural areas.

In addition to reinstating the SFI, DCC’s motion and accompanying letter to Government call for:

• Fair trade deals that protect UK farming standards.

• Agriculture to be embedded within the school curriculum.

• Continued support for Devon’s Farmwise initiative and the County Farm Estate.

• Reinstatement of the grant for the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs.

• Reversal of proposed changes to family farm taxation.

• Increased investment in rural mental health services.

• Support for agri-technology to boost productivity and sustainability.

Cllr Cottle-Hunkin said:

“We urge the government to think again and reintroduce the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme, with sufficient funding and long-term support.

“This is to ensure that farm businesses can plan with confidence, while continuing the good work that farmers do and have done for the environment, driving towards our aspirations for carbon reduction and biodiversity alongside quality food production.”

She added:

“The proposed changes to family farm inheritance tax rules would threaten the very future of family-run farms across Devon.

“We urge Government to reverse these changes and safeguard the future of the family farm model.

“Farming is the backbone of Devon’s rural life. Here at Devon’s County Hall we fully understand the pressures our farming community is facing, and we will work tirelessly to make sure their voices are heard loud and clear by those making the decisions in Westminster.”

Councillor Henry Gent, Chair of DCC’s Farms Estate Committee, supported the motion and stressed the importance of teaching children about agriculture from an early age.

“In today’s world, understanding where our food comes from and how it’s produced is more important than ever. As environmental concerns grow and the focus on sustainability increases, educating future generations about sustainable food production is essential and that’s why events like Farmwise are so essential,” he said.

Tuesday 7 October saw the return of Farmwise, now in its 13th year, a flagship educational event organised by Devon County Council in partnership with first-generation farmers from its Farms Estate, the Devon County Agricultural Association, and Mole Valley Farmers.

More than 1,500 children from 45 primary schools across Devon attended the event near Exeter. Pupils met farm animals including sheep, goats, and cows, and took part in hands-on activities such as fruit pressing, milling, bread making, a lamb-birthing simulator, and creating wildflower seed bombs to encourage biodiversity back at their schools.

“The council has had around 50,000 young children attending Farmwise since it first began in 2013,” said Cllr Gent.
“It’s a delight each year to see so many young children coming through, learning where their food comes from and having an opportunity that many children would otherwise not have in coming face-to-face with farming.

“And although jobs and careers are possibly the last thing on these young children’s minds right now, it does no harm at all to normalise farming and encourage children to see it as something exciting and rewarding they can do in future.

“It’s lovely to think that some of those children who came through our Farmwise doors 13 years ago may now be involved in farming themselves and working on our Farm Estates.

“And it’s with this eye constantly to the future and recognising that Devon’s rural economy relies on new farmers coming into the industry, that we need governments to prioritise farming and food security. We need governments to stand by our farmers, not just in words, but through meaningful action.”

Devon County Council’s motion passed with cross-party support and will now be sent to ministers, calling for urgent national action to protect family farms, rural livelihoods, and the long-term sustainability of British agriculture.