Farmers are Willing and Ready for Change

The UK Government is currently developing a Land Use Framework, a 25-Year Farming Roadmap, and a new Food Strategy. Additionally, the publication of the Climate Change Committee’s Seventh Carbon Budget is a stark reminder of the crucial role of agriculture and land use in halting the UK’s contribution to global warming. Targets have been set in line with the Balanced Pathway to net zero by 2050, necessitating a reduction in sheep and cattle numbers; a rise in the planting rates of new woodland, and a rise in the proportion of upland peat in natural or rewetted condition; and a decline in average meat and dairy consumption.
Stockfree Farming’s research has shown that these targets are not only achievable but surprisingly welcomed by many farmers. The issue isn’t a lack of willingness, but a lack of supported choice. It is therefore a critical time for organisations such as ours to help guide the narrative and the policy decisions that ensue.
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