Source · National Audit Office

The Farming and Countryside Programme

The Farming and Countryside Programme aims to reform English farming. The stakes are high for food production, farm viability and the environment.

Published: 23 Jul 2024 Recommendations: 7 Type: Value for Money NAO confirmed: 7 Department: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs

Dept: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Topics: Energy and environmentFood and farmingRural and countryside nao.org.uk →

Recommendations

7 items

6 accepted 1 partially accepted 6 implemented 1 in progress

Recommendation 1

Addressee: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Source location: Page 14, 25

Defra should:
a ensure that the full Programme business case for Phase 3 of the Programme, currently in preparation, includes a comprehensive and realistic assessment of the funding needed to meet all the Programme?s objectives;

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · Q4 2025-26 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 2

Addressee: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Source location: Page 14, 25

b use the full Programme business case for Phase 3 of the Programme to provide a clearer indication of the Programme?s overall direction, for example, by identifying the expected balance between SFI and more complex schemes to deliver its environmental and other objectives;

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · Q2 2026-27 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 3

Addressee: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Source location: Page 14, 25

c complete work to strengthen the Programme?s set of environmental objectives, particularly ensuring there is an outcome-based objective for species abundance by March 2025 and a quantified objective for the reduction in pesticide use;

Response position: Partially accepted

Delivery: Implemented · Q3 2025-26 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 4

Addressee: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Source location: Page 14, 25

d ensure continuing developments to the Programme?s digital and data infrastructure comply with Defra?s corporate digital and data principles and reduce reliance on legacy systems as soon as possible;

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · Q4 2024-25 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 5

Addressee: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Source location: Page 14, 25

e develop a comprehensive and unified package of advice for farmers that will best support them in making the changes needed and help them to progress towards activity that delivers greater environmental benefit;

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: In progress · Q3 2026-27 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 6

Addressee: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Source location: Page 14, 25

f use available feedback channels to explore in more depth farmers? capacity for, and response to, continuing change going forward and how it will affect trust and levels of engagement

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · Q2 2025-26 · Confirmed by NAO

Recommendation 7

Addressee: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · Source location: Page 14, 25

g increase the level of transparency to stakeholders particularly in areas such as: farm viability modelling; land-use change modelling; and its plans to increase the regulatory baseline and stop payments as actions become standard industry practice. In particular, the analysis relating to land-use change and the impact on food production should be put in the public domain as soon as possible to allow both parliamentary and public scrutiny.

Response position: Accepted

Delivery: Implemented · Q3 2025-26 · Confirmed by NAO