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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Helena Horton Environment reporter

English farms could be taken out of food production to boost nature, says minister

Sheep in the Lake District, Cumbria
Sheep in the Lake District, Cumbria. Reed also announced an overhaul of the nature-friendly farming scheme. Photograph: David Forster/Alamy

Some farms in England could be taken entirely out of food production under plans to make more space for nature, the environment secretary has said.

Speaking at the Groundswell farming festival in Hertfordshire, Steve Reed said a revamp of post-Brexit farming subsidies and a new land use plan would be aimed at increasing food production in the most productive areas and decreasing or completely removing it in the least productive. In reality, this means many upland farmers may be incentivised to stop farming.

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