We are pleased that Defra’s engagement has improved over the last year, but delays in communication due to delays in policy development have already impacted farmers’ ability to plan for the significant changes ahead. Defra itself cannot directly reach every farmer, but it is essential that every farmer and land manager is made aware of what is coming. The scale and complexity of Defra’s policy means that a clear strategy to communicate its plans to the full range of farmers and land managers, with measurable objectives, is needed. If this is not in place, the agricultural transition risks falling at the first hurdle. Defra should develop a clear engagement strategy with plans in place to measure its success in reaching the full range of farmers and land managers, and consider how advisory networks and intermediary organisations may be more effectively used to communicate key information about the agricultural transition. In order to build confidence and foster buy-in, this engagement strategy should also involve a concerted effort to demonstrate how the views of farmers and land managers have fed into the design of ELM. (Paragraph 40) Environmental Land Management