[Diggers350] Tenth of UK farmland to be axed for net zero family farms forced under to release land plus bonfire of planning regs

[Tony Gosling]

Tenth of UK farmland to be axed for net zero
 
family farms forced under to release land plus bonfire of planning regs

https://tlio.org.uk/tenth-of-uk-farmland-axed-for-net-zero/
<https://tlio.org.uk/tenth-of-uk-farmland-axed-for-net-zero/>7 
February 2025 
<https://tlio.org.uk/author/tony/>Tony 
Gosling<https://tlio.org.uk/tenth-of-uk-farmland-axed-for-net-zero/#respond>Leave 
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[please do post land rights related news to this list yourself]
Tenth of farmland to be axed for net zero


Solar farms, tree planting and wildlife habitats 
to replace food production as Labour deals fresh blow to rural life


Farmland currently used for food production will be turned over to other uses

<https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/31/tenth-of-farmland-to-be-axed-for-net-zero-steve-reed/>Emma 
Gatten Environment Editor 31 January 2025
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/01/31/tenth-of-farmland-to-be-axed-for-net-zero-steve-reed/
More than 10 per cent of farmland in England is 
set to be diverted towards helping to achieve net 
zero and protecting wildlife by 2050, the 
Environment Secretary will reveal on Friday.

Emacs!


Swathes of the countryside are on course to be 
switched to solar farms, tree planting and 
improving habitats for birds, insects and fish.
The move is part of a consultation being launched 
by Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary, on how 
the competing priorities of food production, net 
zero and nature should be reconciled in England.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural 
Affairs estimates that 9 per cent of farmland 
would need to be removed from food production by 
2050 to meet green targets, The Telegraph 
understands. A further 5 per cent is expected to 
be mostly taken out of production owing to a 
decreased level of food output, and another 4 per 
cent will share space with trees.
Mr Reed will insist that his framework will not 
impose changes on landowners, but the figures are 
likely to reignite Labour’s row with farmers who 
expressed concerns that the strategy could lead 
to the Government telling them what they can grow and where.
The Government will say that the land use 
framework consultation, which was first promised 
under the Conservatives, will protect the most productive agricultural land.
In a speech at the Royal Geographic Society in 
Kensington, Mr Reed will say: “Using the most 
sophisticated land use data ever published, we 
will transform how we use our land to deliver on 
our Plan for Change. That means enabling the 
protection of prime agricultural land, restoring 
our natural world and driving economic growth.”
The Government has ambitious targets to increase 
woodland in England by 20 per cent, or about 
265,000 hectares, by 2050, accounting for a third 
of the change in farm use. It has also set a 
target to build 1.5 million new homes, install 
hundreds of square miles of solar panels and 
onshore wind turbines, and protect 30 per cent of the land for nature.
The UK is committed to reaching net zero 
greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, meaning as much 
carbon is removed from the atmosphere as is 
produced. Tree planting targets are expected to 
be a major contributor to this, as is the restoration of peatland.
Some 70 per cent of England is farmland, and a 9 
per cent reduction would bring this down by 760,000 hectares.
Farming groups have warned of growing threats to 
food security, expressing concern over the 
implications in the Government’s analysis. 
“Whenever the state gets involved, its tendency 
is to only become ever more prescriptive,” said 
Victoria Vyvyan, the president of the Country Land and Business Association.
“Government must build safeguards into the policy 
to prevent mission creep, or else it is entirely 
possible that, in years to come, the man from the 
ministry will be telling farmers what they are 
and aren’t allowed to grow, plant and rear on their land.”
‘Brutal Budget has hurt farming’
Tom Bradshaw, president of the NFU, said it was 
“imperative this framework does not further 
restrict farmers’ ability to produce the nation’s food”.
“Over the past 18 months, the UK farming industry 
has taken a battering,” he said. “Volatile input 
costs, commodity prices on the floor in some 
sectors, a reduction in direct payments, one of 
the wettest periods in decades, and a brutal 
Budget delivered by this Government. All have 
left their mark and have put homegrown food production under serious pressure.”
The Government believes food production can be 
largely maintained at current levels by focusing 
on removing only the least productive land. About 
20 per cent of England’s farmed land produces 
just 3 per cent of total calories, in areas where 
subsidies have historically accounted for 90 per cent of farm incomes.
Labour’s net zero goals will require £500bn investment
These areas are largely in uplands dominated by 
sheep farming, one of the most financially 
precarious sectors of the rural economy.
Government targets on restoring nature have 
already led to a push to reduce sheep farming on 
Dartmoor, and farmland has been bought up in 
several parts of the country by charities dedicated to rewilding projects.
Maps included with the consultation documents are 
expected to categorise the country based on 
suitability for tree planting and habitat restoration.
The plan will ultimately be used by local 
authorities and government departments to inform 
decisions on new investments and where development should be sited.
Mr Reed will add: “This framework will not tell 
people what to do. It is about working together 
to pool our knowledge and resources, to give 
local and national government, landowners, 
businesses, farmers and nature groups the data 
and tools they need to take informed actions that 
are best for them, best for the land, and best for the country.”
A government spokesman said: “The land use 
framework will not tell anyone what to do with their land.
“Instead, it will be the most sophisticated data 
ever published on land use options so farmers and 
landowners can make better decisions for 
themselves on how to get the most out of their land and boost their profits.”
Investment required by 2050
Grid £200bn
Offshore wind £115bn
Nuclear £150bn
Carbon capture/storage £70bn
Aurora Energy Research
Readers on axing farmland for net zero
Robert Canham
“The Government’s plan to reduce farmland for 
food production and make us dependent on imported 
food is a plan hatched by enemies of this country.”
Richard M.
“To see the UK even consider intentionally 
eliminating 10pc of their farmland is stunning. I 
hope it can somehow be stopped.”
Peter Hughes
“We need food security and energy security in 
this country. We need to support and invest in 
all our farmers to increase food production right now.”
David Forcey
“Not only will this madness be an existential 
threat to our food production, it will also ruin 
the look of our beautiful countryside.”
Malc Mayfield
“The Government should be put on trial for 
treason. This is sabotage, pure and simple.”
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