Moorlands MP, Karen Bradley has welcomed today’s new Bill introduced to ensure farmers continue to receive Direct Payments for 2020.
The Direct Payments to Farmers (Legislative Continuity) Bill will provide continuity and stability to farmers as the UK leaves the EU and ensure that they continue to receive direct payment support for the 2020 scheme year.
This follows the Chancellor’s recent announcement confirming the same level of funding for direct payments for 2020 as for 2019.
Karen commented,
“I welcome this new legislation which enables us to make Direct Payments to farmers for the 2020 scheme year– giving certainty to our farmers and food producers.”
The Government will bring forward an Agriculture Bill this month, as announced in the Queen’s Speech on 19 December 2019, to provide the future framework for future farming policy in England from 2021.
It will replace the restrictive rules of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), freeing farmers to seize the opportunities offered by Brexit. It will introduce ambitious new land management schemes, based on the principle of “public money for public goods”, which will allow us to reward farmers and land managers who protect our environment, improve animal welfare and produce high quality food in a more sustainable way. Farmers and land managers will be supported over a seven-year agricultural transition period, giving them time to plan and adapt to the new approach.
After this, the Agriculture Bill will provide a new system of farm support, moving away from direct payments in England towards an approach where farmers are paid public money for the ‘public goods’ they produce – such as enhancing air and water quality, tackling climate change or improving animal welfare.