Farmers face uncertainty over Sustainable Farming Incentive applications
Agriculture employs around 446,000 people across the United Kingdom, while agricultural land accounts for approximately 69 per cent of our country’s land area, with farmers in Central Devon supporting suppliers, machinery businesses and food producers.
I was grateful to the Central Devon farmers who travelled to the National Farmers’ Union headquarters in London last week to meet me.
Hearing directly from those producing our food is essential to understanding how decisions made in Westminster affect everyday life on our farms.
Our discussion covered Sustainable Farming Incentive applications, bluetongue, bovine TB and planning reform. These are different challenges, but one theme connected them all: uncertainty.
Farming requires patience and forward planning. Decisions about breeding livestock, planting crops or investing in buildings can have consequences stretching years ahead. When the rules, funding or disease outlook are unclear, even the most experienced farmer can struggle to decide what to do next.
The national figures underline why this matters. Agriculture employs around 446,000 people across the United Kingdom, while agricultural land accounts for approximately 69 per cent of our country’s land area. Behind those numbers are families, skilled workers and businesses whose contribution reaches far beyond the farm gate.
In Central Devon, that contribution is visible every day. Our farmers support agricultural suppliers, machinery businesses, livestock markets, vets and food producers. They also help maintain the landscape that residents treasure and visitors come to enjoy.
The Sustainable Farming Incentive should help farmers combine food production with caring for soil, wildlife and the wider environment. But farmers need a fair application process and a dependable understanding of what support will be available. Environmental improvements cannot sensibly be planned around uncertainty about whether an application will succeed.
Animal health brings another layer of pressure. Our conversation about bluetongue and bovine TB highlighted how disease concerns weigh on farming businesses. Alongside the financial consequences, there is the strain on families who care deeply about their animals and work long hours to keep them healthy.
I want farmers to have clear, timely information and practical support, with their experience informing the decisions that affect them. Listening must be followed by careful attention to what is actually happening on the ground.
Planning was another important part of our discussion. Farmers need opportunities to adapt, improve their buildings and develop their businesses, while respecting the countryside and neighbouring communities. A system that is understandable and proportionate can help them invest with greater confidence.
What struck me throughout the meeting was the determination of those around the table. Despite the pressures, they remain committed to producing food and looking after the land.
My thanks go to everyone who made the journey, and to the NFU for bringing us together. I will continue raising these concerns and pressing for the clarity that farming families need.
Supporting our farmers is about more than supporting one industry. It is about the future of our villages, the resilience of our food supply and the countryside we pass on to the next generation. Their knowledge deserves a hearing, and their hard work deserves recognition from us all.
Facebook: Mel Stride MP X: @MelJStride Instagram: @melstridemp Website: www.melstridemp.com