15
Accepted in Part
Develop ambitious ELM scheme plans for soils by 2026, including a 90% land target.
Recommendation
Using an analysis of recent soil health trends, the Government should set out, by 2026, long-term plans for how ELM schemes will become more ambitious for soils. This should include: a) Putting all basic actions known to improve soils into the SFI if evidence suggests that the economic drivers are lacking to adopt such measures. b) Adapting CS so that it provides more attractive options which expand upon the basic soil actions in the SFI and offer a way for farmers to easily rachet up their soil health ambitions. c) Working with the agricultural sector to develop a common understanding of “sustainable soil management”. By 2030, ELM scheme participants should be incentivised to combine SFI and CS actions that meet this definition. This definition should be flexible enough to allow for local innovation, experience and geodiversity. d) Setting a target for more than 90% of agricultural land to meet a definition of “sustainably managed” by 2040.
Government Response Summary
The government states the SFI already incorporates many soil actions and will consider adding more, while exploring ways to adapt CS. They recognize the value of defining "sustainable soil management" and aim to do so with stakeholder engagement. However, they aim for 60% of agricultural soil under sustainable management by 2030, a lower target than the recommended 90% by 2040.
Paragraph Reference
60
Government Response
Accepted in Part
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
We believe the recent expansion of the SFI in 2024 already incorporates many well-established actions for soil improvement. We will continue to monitor the scheme’s effectiveness and, based on ongoing data and research, consider adding further actions if evidence suggests specific economic barriers are hindering their adoption by farmers. As part of our ongoing review of CS, we will explore ways to offer options that build upon the actions under SFI, for example if analysis of soil health trends identifies areas where additional support is needed. We recognise the value in establishing a shared understanding of “sustainable soil management” within the agricultural sector. We aim to define this concept in a clear, practical way that recognizes regional variations and individual farm contexts, including appropriate stakeholder engagement. The actions under SFI and CS will be vital to achieving our ambition to have 60% of agricultural soil under sustainable management through our farming schemes by 2030. We will continue to track progress towards this target and keep the targets framework under review.
Timeline
Recommendation age
2.5 yrs
Report published
05 Dec 2023