I remain committed to supporting our agricultural industries and farmers, and I am pleased that the Agriculture Bill will allow us to introduce ambitious new land management schemes in England, based on the principle of “public money for public goods”, so that we can reward farmers and land managers who protect our environment, improve animal welfare and produce high quality food in a more sustainable way. The Bill will also help farmers to stay competitive, with measures to increase productivity and invest in new technology. We will also improve transparency in the supply chain to help food producers strengthen their position at the farm gate and seek a fairer return from the marketplace.
The Government has guaranteed the annual farm budget for each year of this Parliament and nearly £3 billion will top up the remaining EU funding to match the total funding for direct payments that was available for 2019. The Agriculture Bill includes a seven-year transition period, during which Direct Payments will be phased out gradually from 2021. This will give farmers time to adapt and prepare for the new environmental land management system, which will allow them to decide how they can best deliver public goods from their business and their land.