Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 18
18
We asked the Department what farmers were feeling about the new scheme and the reduction...
Conclusion
We asked the Department what farmers were feeling about the new scheme and the reduction in direct payments. The Department recognised that while some saw the scheme as a “welcome opportunity to embrace a new future”, some feel very threatened by it and were anxious about the future.54 The RPA accepted that both it and the Department had a role to help assuage that anxiety and “encourage people to embrace the fact that by changing farming practice there might be a different way forward”.55 The Department stressed that the schemes it is introducing are intended to be widely available to all types of farms. We highlighted, however, that being available is not the same as these schemes providing sufficient support for farms to stay in business.56
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
6: PAC conclusion: The Department is not doing enough to support farmers through the transition to the new schemes and alleviate any anxiety its plans are causing. 6: PAC recommendation: The Department should identify what further support is needed to help farmers during the transition, including where farmers will face significant business challenges in the short term. The Department should particularly set out what it will do to support farmer’s well-being through the transition. 6.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation Target implementation date: September 2022 6.2 The government has already been acting on this issue in the early stages of the transition. 6.3 The government recognises the agricultural transition is a significant change for farmers – that’s why the government decided to implement the reforms over a seven-year period to give farmers time to plan and adapt, and why the government is offering free business planning advice through a fully funded resilience programme to help farmers understand their options, plan, and adapt. The government also recognises the importance of farmers’ well-being and the challenges currently facing the sector. Whilst the Resilience Fund does not support standalone well-being projects, it is open for applications which incorporate well-being and mental health support into a wider programme of business advice, and it ensures that projects signpost to relevant services where appropriate. Stakeholder feedback from the Initial Phase of the Resilience Fund strongly suggested that farmers find the greatest value in this kind of integrated approach 6.4 Through the government’s productivity and innovation, research and development grant offers, careful design of new schemes and improvement of existing schemes, targeted business support and the work of others such as the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), the government is working to ensure all farmers have the opportunity to manage their business effectively and positively through the transition. 6.5 The government regularly monitors how farmers are responding to the changes. The government is working with farming bodies, farming charities, intermediaries, and farmers themselves to understand how the transition is progressing and what support farmers need, so that the government can continually refine and improve the support offered to farmers based on what is learned. 6.6 The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Rural Payments Agency will continue to engage with the farming community through attendance at agricultural shows, Farming shows, workshops, and other large events, and through direct engagement with farmers, farming organisations and charities and other stakeholders.