Food production, environmental improvements and the future of farming businesses are 'at risk' if post-Brexit agricultural schemes fail, a new poll warns.
A survey has revealed how farmers want to produce food and deliver for nature, but the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes are critical to their survival.
Any delays in rollout, and failing to properly fund the post-Brexit farming budget, risks undermining farmer confidence and stability, according to responses.
Industry confidence is already at its lowest level on record due to high production costs, extreme weather and uncertainty during the post-Brexit agricultural transition.
But responses to the survey warn that a further decrease in confidence could lead to farms going bust, which could happen if the ELM schemes are not property funded.
This is according to the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which surveyed 250 farmers and landowners across the country.
Its poll found that 80% said they agreed that payments through the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) schemes are critical to ensure their businesses stay viable. Just 8% disagreed.
Most want to play a role in delivering environmental improvements – 85% agreed that they support the concept of using some farmland to protect and enhance wildlife and the environment.
Three-quarters of farmers said they are currently enrolled in SFI or CS schemes. Of those, income of between £10,000 and £30,000 a year to fund the delivery of a range of environmental outcomes was the most common bracket, with 35% falling into this category.
The results come just before Chancellor Rachel Reeves announces the new Labour government’s first budget, amid growing calls for the farming budget to increase.
The CLA is one industry body which has been calling for the budget to be increased, to £3.8 billion a year for England alone.
Its president Victoria Vyvyan said that, with Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments disappearing, farming businesses "must not face a financial cliff-edge".
She said: “As this survey demonstrates, farmers are willing and able to feed the nation and improve the environment – but we can't do it on a shoestring budget.
"Without the right economic, regulatory and political conditions, farmers will be unable to deliver on the multitude of societal demands that ultimately fall on us, and the Treasury must put its money where its mouth is in the budget.
“The CLA believes that ELM schemes have the potential to lead the world in creating a sustainable agriculture and environment policy, and we support the direction of travel – but the budget must be right."
It comes after the NFU president wrote to the prime minister ahead of next week's budget as fears grow over the financial health of the industry.
The letter to Sir Keir Starmer calls on him to 'stand by his commitments' to British farmers by continuing agriculture property relief and increasing the agriculture budget.
