PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE
Nature-friendly Farming - 14 November 2024 (Commons/Commons Chamber)
Debate Detail
Contributions from Ellie Chowns, are highlighted with a yellow border.
Ellie Chowns
North Herefordshire
Daniel Zeichner
The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs
I point the hon. Lady to the extraordinary transformation that is under way, with the huge amount of extra money going into the sustainable farm incentive and our environmental land management schemes this year. It is the biggest transformation on record.
Ellie Chowns
I recognise the very welcome shift towards nature-friendly farming, which offers environmental, social and economic benefits—not just nature protection, but good healthy food and good jobs—yet the farmer-led Nature Friendly Farming Network argues that the agriculture budget needs to be more than doubled to £6 billion a year. Will the Minister press his Treasury colleagues to put more money into nature-friendly farming to secure a sustainable future for UK farming?
Daniel Zeichner
I am grateful to the hon. Lady for her support for the transition that we are undertaking. In fact, I was speaking to Martin Lines from the Nature Friendly Farming Network only yesterday evening. He and many of his colleagues are delighted with the transition that we are making, but, as ever, the Greens’ grasp of economics is limited.
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