Recommendations & Conclusions
36 items
1
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
We are pleased that the Government is developing a set of soil health indicators and a soil health baseline. Data, and a common approach to measuring soil health, is essential for setting targets, tracking progress, evaluating the ELM schemes and understanding the merits of different interventions. The Government should develop …
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We are pleased that the Government is developing a set of soil health indicators and a soil health baseline. Data, and a common approach to measuring soil health, is essential for setting targets, tracking progress, evaluating the ELM schemes and understanding the merits of different interventions. The Government should develop these as soon as possible, particularly the soil health indicators which will underpin future policy development. Soil monitoring must also not be a “one-off exercise”: soils will always be a vital natural asset and changes to soil health can take place over many years.
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Government response AI summary
The government confirmed that national soil monitoring is underway through the tNCEA programme since 2022, aiming for a soil health baseline by 2028, and will publish provisional updates from 2024, a progress report on indicators by June 2024, and a more comprehensive model by 2025.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
2
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Acknowledged
The Government must ringfence the funding for the soil health monitoring programme to ensure a long-term commitment to this precious national resource. This funding should be on the same scale as funding for the monitoring of other critical assets such as water and air quality. The Government should also finalise …
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The Government must ringfence the funding for the soil health monitoring programme to ensure a long-term commitment to this precious national resource. This funding should be on the same scale as funding for the monitoring of other critical assets such as water and air quality. The Government should also finalise the soil health indicators by December 2024 at the latest.
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Government response AI summary
The government encourages farmers to monitor their own soil health, noting existing SFI payments for soil assessment, and intends to publish further tools and guidance later this year to enable consistent data collection, but did not commit to ringfencing funding or finalising indicators by December …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
3
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
The soil health baseline will not be established until 2028 and determining trends from that data will potentially take longer still. Given the importance of soil health, we feel it is essential to take steps now to use existing soil data and identify priority areas of concern. Furthermore, unlike the …
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The soil health baseline will not be established until 2028 and determining trends from that data will potentially take longer still. Given the importance of soil health, we feel it is essential to take steps now to use existing soil data and identify priority areas of concern. Furthermore, unlike the Minister, we believe that comparing soil data is helpful at an individual farm level and that this data is vital for assessing the impact of ELMs. The Government’s Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme should therefore be more ambitious and aim to collect more detailed, granular data to support land managers and inform future policy development. ELMs—as well as benefitting from more thorough data—could also be an effective mechanism for funding, standardising and collecting such field-level data. We are not convinced that guidance alone will be enough to sufficiently standardise soil tests and assessments around agreed metrics. However, this must be done in such a way to alleviate privacy concerns and avoid additional administrative burdens.
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Government response AI summary
The government highlighted ongoing efforts through the tNCEA programme, including projects like the England Ecosystem Survey and England Peat Map, and the Environment Agency's Big Soil Stocktake launched in November 2023, which aim to collect comprehensive soil data and inform policy, but did not commit …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
4
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
By 2025, Defra should adapt the Environmental Land Management schemes to fund the testing and assessment of all key physical, chemical and biological soil attributes decided by the soil health indicators project. These schemes should only support tests that are easy to use, cost-effective, and meet an approved standard, to …
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By 2025, Defra should adapt the Environmental Land Management schemes to fund the testing and assessment of all key physical, chemical and biological soil attributes decided by the soil health indicators project. These schemes should only support tests that are easy to use, cost-effective, and meet an approved standard, to collect more robust and comparable data. This must involve working with industry on suitable tests and assessments and collaborating with supply chain assurance standards to ensure farmers need only produce data for one common set of soil health tests. The ELM schemes should incorporate mechanisms to feed publicly funded data back into the soil health monitoring programme. This data and analysis should be anonymised, aggregated, secured and not be used to monitor progress on individual farms. (Paragraph 25) 48 Soil health
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Government response AI summary
The government's response committed to producing a Land Use Framework in 2024 and mentioned other policy initiatives like Local Nature Recovery Strategies and a National Action Plan for Sustainable Use of Pesticides, completely deflecting from the recommendation to adapt ELM schemes to fund soil health …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
5
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
In order to gain an insight into recent trends, the Government should also, by 2026, commission and publish an analysis of existing soil health data held by third parties This should be used to inform future policy development, including incoming iterations of ELM schemes. (Paragraph 26) Soils strategy and leadership
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In order to gain an insight into recent trends, the Government should also, by 2026, commission and publish an analysis of existing soil health data held by third parties This should be used to inform future policy development, including incoming iterations of ELM schemes. (Paragraph 26) Soils strategy and leadership
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Government response AI summary
The government is conducting its own national soil monitoring program (tNCEA) which began in 2022, aiming for a comprehensive baseline by 2028 to inform future policy, rather than committing to commissioning analysis of third-party data by 2026.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
6
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
There is a lack of leadership and focus on soil health in Government policy. The awaited land use framework could certainly help but, given that the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) and the Environment Act targets are already the central focus of policy and scrutiny, we believe that it would be …
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There is a lack of leadership and focus on soil health in Government policy. The awaited land use framework could certainly help but, given that the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) and the Environment Act targets are already the central focus of policy and scrutiny, we believe that it would be better to also focus these targets on soils, giving them equal status to air and water and therefore encouraging better integration of these interdependent elements of the environment. The next update of the EIP is due by 2028, a date by which a baseline map of soil health should be ready. This presents a perfect opportunity to update the EIP and the Environment Act targets to better incorporate soils; and for the Government to refine its target to get more soils under “sustainable management.”
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Government response AI summary
The government states the current EIP already links soil health to other goals and includes an existing commitment to bring 40% of agricultural soil into sustainable management by 2028, increasing to 60% by 2030. They will review the EIP in 2028, but did not commit …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
7
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
By May 2024, the Government must publish the new National Action Plan for Sustainable Use of Pesticides and its Land Use Framework. The Framework should provide clear guidance and leadership to stakeholders on the most effective uses for types of soils, and the trade-offs between different outcomes, such as increased …
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By May 2024, the Government must publish the new National Action Plan for Sustainable Use of Pesticides and its Land Use Framework. The Framework should provide clear guidance and leadership to stakeholders on the most effective uses for types of soils, and the trade-offs between different outcomes, such as increased biodiversity and improved food security. Once established, the Land Use Framework should be frequently updated to incorporate the latest data and also should be integrated into other government incentive schemes, such as ELMs, to reward sustainable decision- making.
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Government response AI summary
The government deflected by referring to the Agricultural Transition Plan Update (Jan 2024) which broadly covers barriers to farmers adopting environmental land management, rather than committing to publish the National Action Plan for Sustainable Use of Pesticides and the Land Use Framework by May 2024.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
8
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
Once a soil baseline and health indicators are in place, the Government must work with industry and academia to develop a set of binding and measurable targets for improving soil health in England, based primarily on the agreed soil health indicators, and giving a clear but realistic indication of how …
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Once a soil baseline and health indicators are in place, the Government must work with industry and academia to develop a set of binding and measurable targets for improving soil health in England, based primarily on the agreed soil health indicators, and giving a clear but realistic indication of how the use of agricultural inputs will be reduced over time. By the end of 2028, the Government should have amended the Environment Act 2021 section 1, subsection 3 to explicitly mention soil health, put soil on an equal, harmonised footing with water and air, and to bind future governments to these targets.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focused entirely on increasing payment rates and introducing premiums for SFI and Countryside Stewardship schemes, rather than addressing the recommendation to develop binding soil health targets and amend the Environment Act by 2028.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
9
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
The 2028 Environmental Improvement Plan should incorporate and develop these new soil health targets and ensure that soil improvement features across all related sectors, particularly construction, planning and agriculture. Goals for biodiversity, waste, food security, land use and net zero should ensure that soil health plays a role in their …
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The 2028 Environmental Improvement Plan should incorporate and develop these new soil health targets and ensure that soil improvement features across all related sectors, particularly construction, planning and agriculture. Goals for biodiversity, waste, food security, land use and net zero should ensure that soil health plays a role in their delivery. The EIP should also aim for nearly all farmers and growers (90% or more) to be part of an ELM scheme by 2040, and work with the agricultural sector to develop clear, reasonable and measurable definitions of “sustainable soil management” within ELMs, which are adaptable to different contexts and that all participants should be strongly incentivised to adopt. (Paragraph 40) Soil health 49 Incentivising sustainable soil management
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Government response AI summary
The government's response outlined measures to improve accessibility for smaller and tenant farmers in ELM schemes, such as SFI Management Payments and adapted tenancy rules, but did not address the recommendation regarding the 2028 EIP, new soil health targets across sectors, or definitions of sustainable …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
10
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
The Government’s Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes are an important economic incentive to protect and restore natural assets, such as soils. Until private ecosystem marketplaces are fully regulated and established for a variety of soil health benefits, ELM schemes will be the main tool for encouraging the restoration of soil …
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The Government’s Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes are an important economic incentive to protect and restore natural assets, such as soils. Until private ecosystem marketplaces are fully regulated and established for a variety of soil health benefits, ELM schemes will be the main tool for encouraging the restoration of soil health. Most stakeholders believe that paying for sustainable practices is the right approach, although effective regulation and evaluation will be essential to ensure that they deliver the right outcomes. Attractive payment rates will also be crucial, rates many believe to be too low at present. Higher rates that reflect environmental benefits and additional costs could boost take-up, lead to further savings in the longer term, keep ELMs true to the ‘public money for public goods’ philosophy, and keep the Government on track to meet its targets. ELMs also do not, in general, address the capital investment barriers to more sustainable farming, although we recognise that some grant funding has been made available. The Government needs to keep a careful eye on this problem and come up with solutions if needed.
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Government response AI summary
The government stated the expanded SFI already includes soil improvement actions and committed to monitoring scheme effectiveness for economic barriers, considering further actions if needed. They also committed to defining 'sustainable soil management' in a clear, practical way with stakeholder engagement.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
11
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Acknowledged
By 2025, the Government should commission and publish a review considering what financial barriers, including upfront investment costs, are preventing more sustainable farming systems. Based on these findings, the Government should develop, alongside the industry, measures to combat the problem. These could include enabling access to more upfront grants, more …
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By 2025, the Government should commission and publish a review considering what financial barriers, including upfront investment costs, are preventing more sustainable farming systems. Based on these findings, the Government should develop, alongside the industry, measures to combat the problem. These could include enabling access to more upfront grants, more Government-funded advisory services, low-cost finance or encouraging the sharing and pooling of resources.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged its statutory commitment under the Agriculture Act 2020 to report on the impact and effectiveness of agricultural schemes and stated it is currently reviewing how best to meet that commitment, but did not specifically commit to commissioning and publishing a review of …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
12
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
By 2026, payment rates for the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship schemes should be increased and calculated on the basis of income foregone, costs and an additional uplift for the public goods potentially provided. These payment rates should be developed using data collected under the Natural Capital and Ecosystem …
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By 2026, payment rates for the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship schemes should be increased and calculated on the basis of income foregone, costs and an additional uplift for the public goods potentially provided. These payment rates should be developed using data collected under the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment Programme and ELMs. Underlying methodologies used to calculate payment rates should be made publicly available.
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Government response AI summary
The government states that payment rates for SFI and CS schemes were increased on 1 January 2024, calculated based on income foregone plus costs. Updated rates and their independently verified methodology have been published, and the government intends to introduce payment premiums for high-value environmental …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
13
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
We are also concerned that significant numbers of farmers may struggle to access ELMs and so be unable to improve their soils. We are concerned about access for non-arable farmers, small-scale farmers, the horticultural sector, those with common land grazing rights and, in particular, tenant farmers. While we welcome the …
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We are also concerned that significant numbers of farmers may struggle to access ELMs and so be unable to improve their soils. We are concerned about access for non-arable farmers, small-scale farmers, the horticultural sector, those with common land grazing rights and, in particular, tenant farmers. While we welcome the progress made for tenant farmer access to the SFI, we encourage the Government to continue the monitoring of uptake amongst different types of farmers and take steps to remove barriers to all ELM schemes when identified.
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Government response AI summary
The government has introduced specific measures like the SFI Management Payment and adapted SFI rules to remove barriers for tenant and smaller farmers, showing increased uptake. It commits to introducing 16 new actions with a 3-year duration and exploring further options to improve accessibility for …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
14
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Acknowledged
We are pleased to see soils being targeted specifically as part of the new Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. While these measures are a good start, the measures in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) are basic and lack essential actions that are known to protect and enhance soils. The role …
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We are pleased to see soils being targeted specifically as part of the new Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. While these measures are a good start, the measures in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) are basic and lack essential actions that are known to protect and enhance soils. The role of the Countryside Stewardship (CS) and Landscape Recovery (LR) schemes in improving soil health also needs to be clearer. Low initial ambition is understandable while the Government is focusing on increasing farmer engagement with ELMs, improving its evidence base and establishing soil health baselines. In the long run, as ‘sustainable soil management’ is defined, the Government needs to strike a better balance 50 Soil health between giving farmers the flexibility to make choices that are right for their farm, incentivising the most sustainable combinations of actions, and getting more land into ELM schemes, in order to achieve positive soil health outcomes.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of soil health, states SFI already incorporates actions, and commits to monitoring effectiveness, exploring options for CS, and aiming to define 'sustainable soil management' with stakeholder engagement.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
15
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted in Part
Using an analysis of recent soil health trends, the Government should set out, by 2026, long-term plans for how ELM schemes will become more ambitious for soils. This should include: a) Putting all basic actions known to improve soils into the SFI if evidence suggests that the economic drivers are …
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Using an analysis of recent soil health trends, the Government should set out, by 2026, long-term plans for how ELM schemes will become more ambitious for soils. This should include: a) Putting all basic actions known to improve soils into the SFI if evidence suggests that the economic drivers are lacking to adopt such measures. b) Adapting CS so that it provides more attractive options which expand upon the basic soil actions in the SFI and offer a way for farmers to easily rachet up their soil health ambitions. c) Working with the agricultural sector to develop a common understanding of “sustainable soil management”. By 2030, ELM scheme participants should be incentivised to combine SFI and CS actions that meet this definition. This definition should be flexible enough to allow for local innovation, experience and geodiversity. d) Setting a target for more than 90% of agricultural land to meet a definition of “sustainably managed” by 2040.
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Government response AI summary
The government states the SFI already incorporates many soil actions and will consider adding more, while exploring ways to adapt CS. They recognize the value of defining "sustainable soil management" and aim to do so with stakeholder engagement. However, they aim for 60% of agricultural …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
16
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
It is disappointing that the Government has not acted on our previous calls for a set of measurable targets and an evaluation programme for the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. The impact of ELM scheme must be monitored more effectively than previous environmental management schemes to gain the benefits of …
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It is disappointing that the Government has not acted on our previous calls for a set of measurable targets and an evaluation programme for the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. The impact of ELM scheme must be monitored more effectively than previous environmental management schemes to gain the benefits of the iterative approach. This would ensure that ELMs deliver positive outcomes for the environment, which paying for actions does not guarantee, and demonstrate that public money is being well spent. If this is done successfully, alongside seeking feedback from farmers, it would enable a better analysis of the impact that the ELM scheme actions are having, both independently and in combination with each other.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response detailed the Environment Agency's work on regulating the safe and sustainable spreading of manures and waste-derived soil conditioners, including reviews and new frameworks by 2026/27, completely unrelated to the recommendation for an ELM evaluation programme.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
17
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
By the end of 2024, the Government should publish an evaluation programme for ELMs. This should be designed alongside the soil health indicators so that they can consistently measure progress on soil health. It should also use anonymised and aggregated data collected by farmers and enable them to feedback into …
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By the end of 2024, the Government should publish an evaluation programme for ELMs. This should be designed alongside the soil health indicators so that they can consistently measure progress on soil health. It should also use anonymised and aggregated data collected by farmers and enable them to feedback into the system directly and regularly. The Government should also publish an annual report detailing: levels of uptake for each scheme; which actions participants are undertaking; how farmer feedback is influencing the development of ELMs; the impact on the environment, including soils; and how this is driving progress towards a set of measurable national targets for soils.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focused on measures to address contaminated soil, including a £78m Land Remediation Pathfinder Scheme, revised guidance for construction sites by summer 2024, and piloting a Soil Reuse and Depot scheme by December 2026, rather than committing to publishing an ELM evaluation programme …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
18
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted in Part
ELMs and the establishment of private ecosystem marketplaces do not tackle all the fundamental economic drivers of unsustainable soil management within the supply chain. We would like to see the Government set out how it will deal with the poor profitability within the sector, which is a barrier to more …
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ELMs and the establishment of private ecosystem marketplaces do not tackle all the fundamental economic drivers of unsustainable soil management within the supply chain. We would like to see the Government set out how it will deal with the poor profitability within the sector, which is a barrier to more sustainable food production; take steps to ensure that assurance standards and contracts with retailers support a consistent and robust definition of sustainable soil management; Soil health 51 and consider measures that will help consumers make more sustainable choices. The Government should also set out how it intends to boost supply and access to a diverse range of organic inputs, which are critical for improving soil health. Given that food waste is expected to be collected from all businesses and households by 2026, it is important to have a clear picture for the organic recycling industry before then.
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Government response AI summary
The government details existing grants, a new £25 million Nutrient Management Theme, and plans a consultation on fertiliser regulations to boost the supply and access of diverse organic inputs. However, the response does not specifically set out how it will deal with poor profitability in …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
19
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted in Part
By mid-2025, the Government should develop an action plan setting out how it will make organic inputs a more economical choice for farmers. This should include measures that boost the availability and diversity of organic inputs to achieve soil health targets and ensure the organic recycling and agricultural sectors have …
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By mid-2025, the Government should develop an action plan setting out how it will make organic inputs a more economical choice for farmers. This should include measures that boost the availability and diversity of organic inputs to achieve soil health targets and ensure the organic recycling and agricultural sectors have the facilities and technologies to produce, store and spread a diverse range of organic inputs, including compost, digestate and biosolids. The Government also needs to support research into novel fertilisers and new technologies that can enable more use of organic inputs.
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Government response AI summary
The government details existing grants, like the £200m Slurry Infrastructure Grant, and a new £25 million Nutrient Management Theme launching in spring 2024, to support novel fertilisers and organic input development. They will also consult on fertiliser regulations. However, the response does not commit to …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
20
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
The next Environmental Improvement Plan, due by 2028, should incorporate this action plan. It should also set out how the Government will address other drivers in the wider food supply chain that encourage poor soil management. These include a lack of profitability in the sector and unsustainable consumer and retailer …
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The next Environmental Improvement Plan, due by 2028, should incorporate this action plan. It should also set out how the Government will address other drivers in the wider food supply chain that encourage poor soil management. These include a lack of profitability in the sector and unsustainable consumer and retailer demands. To support this, the Government should work with industry to develop a common understanding of sustainable soil management that assurance standards and retailer- supplier agreements can adhere to. The Government should also ask the Food Data and Transparency Partnership to consider how this definition could be part of a future ecolabelling system in the future. (Paragraph 72) Soil regulations
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Government response AI summary
The government agreed that advice-led approaches help tackle soil damage and detailed its use of earth observation techniques to identify land management risks and target advice to farmers, but did not address the recommendation to incorporate an action plan into the 2028 EIP or define …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
21
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
Current soil regulations contain significant gaps both within and particularly outside of agriculture. Historically, regulations have seen soil as a medium and vector for the pollution of other natural assets, so a wide array of soil health aspects are not protected. This situation is likely to get worse as Cross …
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Current soil regulations contain significant gaps both within and particularly outside of agriculture. Historically, regulations have seen soil as a medium and vector for the pollution of other natural assets, so a wide array of soil health aspects are not protected. This situation is likely to get worse as Cross Compliance is phased out in 2024. While we acknowledge that most farmers want to do the right thing, a new soil protections legislative framework is needed as a backstop to address gaps, enforce the ‘polluter pays’ principle, and establish minimum acceptable standards for those who choose not to engage with the voluntary ELM schemes.
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Government response AI summary
The government did not commit to a new soil protection legislative framework, instead outlining existing and planned initiatives focused on providing funding, advice, and skills training to farmers for nutrient and pest management, and developing a Green Jobs Plan.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
22
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
A new soil protections framework will be a major project and rely on data that is not yet available, suitable definition(s) of ‘sustainable soil management’, and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. We also recognise that it is also a difficult time for farmers during the transition away from …
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A new soil protections framework will be a major project and rely on data that is not yet available, suitable definition(s) of ‘sustainable soil management’, and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. We also recognise that it is also a difficult time for farmers during the transition away from the Basic Payments Scheme. We agree that offering incentives to change is initially a better way to engage farmers with this potentially quite disruptive and costly transition to improved soil management. We also strongly believe that focusing on incentives for the time being will build a better relationship between Defra and the agricultural community. The Government is right to suggest that we should get a full understanding of how well the ELM schemes work before acting. We also believe, however, that some kind of regulatory baseline will be needed, likely one that prevents soil degradation wherever possible, while Government incentives concentrate more on soil restoration. Shifting incentives in 52 Soil health this way will also only be possible once private sector initiatives are well established and other underlying supply chain issues are resolved. All this will take time.
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Government response AI summary
The government did not commit to a future regulatory baseline for soil protection, instead detailing ongoing efforts to improve the accessibility and usefulness of advice and guidance for farmers participating in existing SFI schemes.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
23
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
Using improved soil health and soil management data, as well as its evaluation of the success of the ELM schemes, the Department should work with industry, academics and regulators on a more robust regulatory baseline for soils. These regulations should be in line with any future soil health targets and …
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Using improved soil health and soil management data, as well as its evaluation of the success of the ELM schemes, the Department should work with industry, academics and regulators on a more robust regulatory baseline for soils. These regulations should be in line with any future soil health targets and any future definition of ‘sustainable soil management’. This new regulatory framework should be consulted on, legislated for and clearly communicated before 2030, with provisions coming into force by 2035, to give land managers and owners time to prepare. The new laws would preferably take a combined approach with other areas, such as water and air quality but could take the form of a soil-specific regulatory framework. While agriculture should be an important focus, we would also like to see a framework offering protections for all types of soils.
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Government response AI summary
The government states it is currently reviewing the regulatory baseline for soil health and will consider findings from the Office for Environmental Protection, but does not commit to a new regulatory framework, legislation, or specific timelines as recommended.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
24
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
In the agricultural sector, the regulatory baseline should be designed to work in tandem with ELM schemes. Initially it should incorporate most of the soil health actions in the Sustainable Farming Incentive, with all ELM schemes becoming more ambitious on soils. As the ELM schemes become more ambitious, so too …
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In the agricultural sector, the regulatory baseline should be designed to work in tandem with ELM schemes. Initially it should incorporate most of the soil health actions in the Sustainable Farming Incentive, with all ELM schemes becoming more ambitious on soils. As the ELM schemes become more ambitious, so too should the regulatory baseline: we recommend that regulations and ELMs are reviewed every five years to ratchet up soil protections and incorporate the latest evidence on what works. In the long-term, the Government should aim for a situation where regulations prevent soil degradation and ELM schemes focus on soil and habitat restoration.
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Government response AI summary
The government states it is currently reviewing the regulatory baseline for soil health and will consider findings from the Office for Environmental Protection. It does not commit to the recommended five-year review cycle for regulations and ELMs or to the long-term aim of preventing soil …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
25
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
Soil contamination is a well-known yet not well-understood problem. There has been a longstanding and unacceptable failure to remediate historical soil contamination that acts as a barrier to nature recovery. As for contamination through agricultural inputs, the Government should also improve controls and protocols—both for their production and application—to give …
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Soil contamination is a well-known yet not well-understood problem. There has been a longstanding and unacceptable failure to remediate historical soil contamination that acts as a barrier to nature recovery. As for contamination through agricultural inputs, the Government should also improve controls and protocols—both for their production and application—to give the sector more confidence to use these more freely. It is particularly disappointing that regulatory updates for sewage sludge have not yet happened. However, the most effective measure to tackle soil contamination is to prevent it in the first place.
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Government response AI summary
The Environment Agency is actively investigating sludge quality and reviewing regulatory delivery for organic inputs like sewage sludge and composts. New ‘end of waste’ Resource Frameworks and amended permits are due by 2026/27, directly addressing the call for improved controls and protocols.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
26
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
By the end of 2025, the Government and Environment Agency should review the current regulations for the production, testing and application of organic inputs to make sure that are delivering enough protections against soil contamination. This review should set out a plan for closing any gaps in protections by 2026/27.
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By the end of 2025, the Government and Environment Agency should review the current regulations for the production, testing and application of organic inputs to make sure that are delivering enough protections against soil contamination. This review should set out a plan for closing any gaps in protections by 2026/27.
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Government response AI summary
The Environment Agency is reviewing regulatory delivery for various organic inputs, including sewage sludge and composts, and plans to introduce new ‘end of waste’ Resource Frameworks and amended permits by 2026/27, aligning with the recommended review and action plan timeline.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
27
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted in Part
The national soil monitoring programme should aim to gain a better understanding of the scale of soil contamination. To spur progress on nature recovery targets, this information should identify problematic areas that local authorities and developers are encouraged to remediate. Contamination data should also be used to develop Extended Producer …
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The national soil monitoring programme should aim to gain a better understanding of the scale of soil contamination. To spur progress on nature recovery targets, this information should identify problematic areas that local authorities and developers are encouraged to remediate. Contamination data should also be used to develop Extended Producer Responsibility for products that pollute agricultural inputs, soils and water as soon as possible. The Government should publish a timeline for delivery by 2026, which should then be incorporated into the Environmental Improvement Plan update scheduled for 2028.
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Government response AI summary
The government is developing a £78m Land Remediation Pathfinder Scheme to support local authorities in remediating contaminated land. While the national soil monitoring program is collecting data on some inorganic contaminants, it is not currently collecting data on organic contaminants like pesticides and microplastics, and …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
28
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
The Government should set up a soil remediation taskforce in 2024 to tackle the barriers to soil remediation. This should consider the role that new technologies Soil health 53 can play with hard-to-remediate soils, as well as the provision of funding to either developers, local authorities or regulators to tackle …
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The Government should set up a soil remediation taskforce in 2024 to tackle the barriers to soil remediation. This should consider the role that new technologies Soil health 53 can play with hard-to-remediate soils, as well as the provision of funding to either developers, local authorities or regulators to tackle the cases that the planning system and private sector are incapable of improving. The Taskforce’s proposals should inform the updated Environmental Improvement Plan due by 2028, which should set out how soil remediation will help the Government make progress towards its nature recovery targets.
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Government response AI summary
The government defers establishing a soil remediation taskforce, stating it is committed to urban soil management and is currently focused on publishing revised guidance for construction sites, piloting a Soil Reuse and Depot scheme by December 2026, and assessing a soil bank system before considering …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
29
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Deferred
We are pleased to see that the Government has announced plans to reduce the amount of soil sent to landfill. These reforms are an update to guidance and the trialling of soil storage sites, which stakeholders welcome but it remains to be seen if these are enough to bring about …
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We are pleased to see that the Government has announced plans to reduce the amount of soil sent to landfill. These reforms are an update to guidance and the trialling of soil storage sites, which stakeholders welcome but it remains to be seen if these are enough to bring about real change. Regulation may be required to make currently voluntary codes of practice mandatory.
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Government response AI summary
The government plans to publish revised guidance for soil use on construction sites by summer 2024 and pilot a Soil Reuse and Depot scheme by December 2026. They explicitly state they will assess the effectiveness of these voluntary approaches before considering any regulatory models to …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
30
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
By 2027, the Government should review progress with the Soil Reuse and Depot scheme and revised construction codes of practice. This should include a consultation with stakeholders on whether these voluntary codes should become mandatory and regulated by an independent body or the Environment Agency. The revised 2028 Environmental Improvement …
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By 2027, the Government should review progress with the Soil Reuse and Depot scheme and revised construction codes of practice. This should include a consultation with stakeholders on whether these voluntary codes should become mandatory and regulated by an independent body or the Environment Agency. The revised 2028 Environmental Improvement Plan should incorporate any further actions the Government will take.
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to publishing revised construction guidance by summer 2024 and piloting a Soil Reuse and Depot scheme by December 2026. These initiatives will include assessment of voluntary approaches with stakeholder engagement before considering any regulatory models, aligning with the committee's call for a …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
31
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted in Part
The Environment Agency and the Rural Payments Agency should continue to take an initially supportive approach when monitoring compliance, given the low levels of engagement and the fact that most farmers want to do the right thing for their soils. Follow ups will be essential to ensure that compliance breaches …
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The Environment Agency and the Rural Payments Agency should continue to take an initially supportive approach when monitoring compliance, given the low levels of engagement and the fact that most farmers want to do the right thing for their soils. Follow ups will be essential to ensure that compliance breaches are being adequately addressed. If this “supportive” approach is, however, a key method of spreading awareness of farming regulations, then the inspections regime should also be boosted. We recognise that remote technologies and approaches will be able to help, and we are pleased that the EA has more funding to conduct site visits, but these still need to be more comprehensive and frequent; visiting just 4% of farms every year will not act as a deterrent to bad actors, nor help the farmers that could benefit from the “supportive” approach.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with advice-led approaches and states enforcement occurs when advice is not acted upon. It highlights the use of earth observation technology for more efficient inspections and targeted advice, building on a successful pilot, but does not explicitly commit to boosting the overall …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
32
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Not Addressed
More monitoring will mean that these agencies need to be fully resourced. In the case of the Environment Agency, where funding for monitoring usually comes via the Environmental Permitting regulations, the Department needs to come up with ways of driving up this funding. This could be achieved by putting more …
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More monitoring will mean that these agencies need to be fully resourced. In the case of the Environment Agency, where funding for monitoring usually comes via the Environmental Permitting regulations, the Department needs to come up with ways of driving up this funding. This could be achieved by putting more activities under Environmental Permitting or by developing new systems for funding compliance visits.
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Government response AI summary
The government states it uses advice-led approaches and technology, such as earth observation, to enable more efficient inspections and targeted advice for soil damage prevention. However, the response does not address the specific recommendation to increase funding for agency monitoring or develop new systems for …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
33
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Not Addressed
The EA and the RPA should continue with the “supportive” approach to compliance monitoring. By the end of the agricultural transition in 2028, however, Defra and these institutions should publish a clear and transparent regime of comprehensive site visits and other actions that they will take to help farmers comply …
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The EA and the RPA should continue with the “supportive” approach to compliance monitoring. By the end of the agricultural transition in 2028, however, Defra and these institutions should publish a clear and transparent regime of comprehensive site visits and other actions that they will take to help farmers comply with rules, prevent fraud and ensure that compliance actions issued are followed. To ensure that any new regulatory soil framework is effective, and let farmers benefit more from the “supportive” approach they are taking, the EA and RPA should be adequately resourced so that farms can expect routine visits every few years. To achieve this, the Department and the EA will need to develop ways to increase funding for compliance monitoring. (Paragraph 109) 54 Soil health Local skills and guidance
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Government response AI summary
The government advocates for advice-led approaches and efficient inspections using earth observation technology to identify land management risks. However, the response does not commit to publishing a comprehensive regime of site visits by 2028, ensuring routine visits every few years, or developing ways to increase …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
34
Conclusion
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
There are gaps in local knowledge and skills when it comes to soil health and soil management across the economy. As environmental outcomes become more embedded in policy through agricultural, planning, construction and other reforms, it is vital that consultants and advisors as well as land managers are well-prepared to …
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There are gaps in local knowledge and skills when it comes to soil health and soil management across the economy. As environmental outcomes become more embedded in policy through agricultural, planning, construction and other reforms, it is vital that consultants and advisors as well as land managers are well-prepared to make decisions. The land use framework could help but it is no replacement for effective training, well-resourced consulting and ensuring that advice is based on the latest scientific knowledge. Stakeholders have made the case for improved education, training and guidance that is relevant to different soils and farm systems, as well as a well-resourced advisory sector. We agree that we need to see much more farmer- led research, combined with peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, to develop best soil management practices. We believe this could create a more positive feedback loop to encourage greater take-up of ELM schemes.
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Government response AI summary
The government accepts the need for improved soil health knowledge and skills, outlining multiple actions including mandating industry standards for SFI funding, providing free business advice until March 2025, supporting the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture, introducing an agriculture T-Level, and developing a Green Jobs …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
35
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted
By 2026, the Government should publish a review into the skills and training available to support key initiatives for nature recovery across all relevant sectors. This review should analyse the training, guidance and advisory services available in the agricultural sector and set out a plan for improving their quality by …
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By 2026, the Government should publish a review into the skills and training available to support key initiatives for nature recovery across all relevant sectors. This review should analyse the training, guidance and advisory services available in the agricultural sector and set out a plan for improving their quality by ensuring that they are based on robust scientific and impartial evidence. It should also ensure that they are accessible and affordable to all that need them.
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Government response AI summary
The government outlines multiple initiatives to improve skills and training, including mandating industry standards, funding business advice, working with the Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture, and introducing an agriculture T-Level. It also commits to publishing a Green Jobs Plan later this year, developed with cross-government …
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
36
Recommendation
First Report - Soil health
Accepted in Part
The review should also identify where guidance documents for sustainable farming— including sustainable soil management—could be better synthesised and made more specific to particular settings. Working closely with respected organisations such as the AHDB, the Government should invest in research projects to develop guidance and decision-making support tools for the …
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The review should also identify where guidance documents for sustainable farming— including sustainable soil management—could be better synthesised and made more specific to particular settings. Working closely with respected organisations such as the AHDB, the Government should invest in research projects to develop guidance and decision-making support tools for the delivery of future ELM objectives, ones that encourage a “whole farm” approach. ELM schemes should also subsidise collaborations between farmers and academics as well as events that facilitate knowledge exchange in the agricultural sector. (Paragraph 120) Soil health 55
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Government response AI summary
The government details its ongoing efforts to refine and improve accessibility and specificity of guidance through user testing, supplementary products, and online tools. However, it does not commit to investing in research for decision-making tools or subsidising collaborations and knowledge exchange as also recommended.
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Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs