NFU president Tom Bradshaw says farmers are being shortchanged by environmental funding.
He made the comments while addressing crowds at the Royal Three Counties Show in a marquee hosted by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and NFU Mutual.
Mr Bradshaw criticised recently announced agri-environment funding as insufficient to meet the ambitions of farmers and cover the costs of delivering public environmental goods.
He said: “The overriding thing is simply that the budget is not big enough and I really liked NFU vice-president Robyn Munt’s line that it doesn’t match the ambition that farmers and growers have for delivering for the environment.
“That is the real challenges we have.
“There is £240 million over two windows, £60 million in the first for small farmers and those that don’t have an SFI arrangement, £180 million in the second window.
“But there are so many questions including what happens if you apply in the first window but don’t know by the time the second window opens if you have been successful or not?
“That’s a realistic proposition.
“We know there are 15 to 16,000 agreements coming to an end before the end of this year and these are thought to be valued at £400 million and yet there is only £180 million in that second window, this feels like the environment is being short changed.”
NFU president Tom Bradshaw in the NFU and NFU Mutual marquee (Image: Exposure Photography)
The funding, announced last week by Defra, covers the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) and Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) schemes.
While the announcement offered some clarity on future direction, Mr Bradshaw argued it does not go far enough.
He said: “As farmers and growers, you enjoy growing food and delivering for the environment and those schemes have been a critical part of your business — the question now is can you continue to afford to continue delivering that?
“That’s a sad position to be in when you have been in countryside stewardship for 25 years or more.”
Mr Bradshaw also pointed out barriers blocking investment in the farming sector.
He said: “We have, for example, more than £1 billion of investment waiting to go into the poultry sector that simply can’t be delivered because the planning system is broken.
“That’s not how you deliver economic growth or a sustainable food system, we are becoming more and more reliant on imported poultry than we ever had been, we are producing 13% less than we were four years ago.”
The reception was chaired by Gloucestershire farmer Liz Godsell, representing NFU members from Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire.
Mr Bradshaw was also thanked for taking on a second term in office as NFU president.
Ms Godsell said: “You steadied the helm and held firm and working with members won through with the government U-turn — a great result but not a finished challenge.
“I think it’s reassuring that you and your team are continually looking out for us and it is pulling together that makes us strong.”
