“The Government has published its response to the consultation on the Lump Sum Exit Scheme and delinked payments in England.
As set out in the Agricultural Transition Plan, the Government is committed to offering farmers in England the option to leave the sector if they wish to. Following the consultation, it is clear that the majority of respondents believe that the Lump Sum Exit Scheme will benefit such farmers as it offers them the flexibility to leave in a planned way.
A vibrant farming industry also needs to create more opportunities for innovative new entrants and farmers wishing to expand their businesses.
The Government has been working with industry leaders, local councils, land owners and others to co-design a New Entrants scheme to create real opportunities for new farming businesses.
Next year, Defra will fund and evaluate pilot projects looking at different ways to effectively support entrepreneurs and increase opportunities for new and recent entrants to access land and finance.
We also plan to replace the Basic Payment Scheme with delinked payments in 2024. This means that recipients won’t have to farm the land to receive the payments until they have been phased out by the end of 2027. A farmer may get delinked payments even if they choose to stop farming altogether. Those who continue farming will still have to comply with standards on the environment, plant health, and animal welfare.”
