Is ELMS fit for purpose?

Is ELMS fit for purpose? - The Nature Friendly Farming Network

The Nature Friendly Farming Network raises concerns about Defra’s internal review of the Environmental Land Managemt schemes.

Following recent media coverage on the potential scrapping of the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMS), Defra issued a statement announcing they “do not intend to go back on their commitment to the environment.”

However, Defra has confirmed a review of ELMS, claiming their assessment will ensure the schemes are “best placed to both boost food production and protect the environment.” This review period sparks growing uncertainty around the new Government’s priorities for its ‘Growth Plan’.

NFFN broadly supports ELMS and its potential for producing food while restoring and protecting the environment. Although flawed in its current iteration, Defra’s review should consider how ELMS can achieve the right mix of ambition, flexibility and uptake more cohesively.

Improving ELMS: it must support all farms

While the intention behind ELMS is welcomed in supporting farmers to change their businesses and landscapes to meet the challenges of the future, there are many problems with its current design. There are concerns that ELMS isn’t financially viable and pays little return to farmers. It can do much more to support all farmers and growers, especially small and tenant farms.

The budget currently allocated to ELMS is unlikely to support a widespread transition as intended. It is underfunded, making it unfit to meet our environmental and climate targets, which the sector could contribute to should the proper support be in place. ELMS needs to give farmers confidence that they can adapt their systems without profit loss and boost farmer uptake, removing unnecessary bureaucracy while increasing environmental ambition.

But stepping back from ELMS entirely, stripping back the budget or paying a fixed area-based payment would be disastrous for farming’s future. This review period should be an opportunity for the Government to make these schemes a success for all farms and the environment.