Skip to main content

Farming: Environmentally Sustainable Produce

Volume 644: debated on Thursday 12 July 2018

10. What steps he is taking to enable farmers to grow produce in a more environmentally sustainable way. (906421)

The Government have pledged to work with farmers, food producers and environmental experts across Britain to devise a new agri-environment scheme to be introduced in the next Parliament.

What provisions is my right hon. Friend’s Department making to maintain high environmental standards in farming in case of no deal?

The Department is undertaking significant steps to ensure that high environmental standards are maintained not just in farming but across the piece in the event of the country leaving the European Union in March 2019 without a deal, but of course it remains the commitment of this Government to secure the best possible deal for Britain.

Will the Secretary of State support the recommendations of the agroforestry review by the Soil Association and the Woodland Trust and put on-farm tree planting at the centre of any environmental land management scheme?

We absolutely recognise the vital importance of integrating forestry with farming on appropriate sites and at appropriate times.