The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has responded to the publication of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Land Use Framework, calling for clear guidance to ensure producers meet the framework objectives.

The Government’s Land Use Framework claimed that there is enough land for delivering new homes, nature restoration, clean energy and food security, provided the land is used more efficiently and for multiple benefits.

The report set out a number of objectives to achieve by 2030, stating that by 2030, farmers and land managers will “have clarity on the long-term opportunities for their land and policy on food production”. It said that farmers would be able to access the information that helps them consider where their land fits in a national spectrum of potential uses, whether for sustainably producing food, supporting nature recovery or increasing resilience to climate change.

It highlighted that farm businesses will have multiple income streams on top of food production, supporting investment in the core business of food growing while “benefiting from income diversification”.

By 2050, Government aims for agricultural land to be managed to prioritise sustainable food production and environmental benefits. It said this would be supported by a continued “close partnership” between farmers and the Government, and claimed that farmers will have a “clear, long-term view” of the funding options available to them.

The report detailed how it was planned for producers to be able to produce more than what the UK consumes, which it said was partly because more land will be “efficiently growing the high value food that people recognise on their plates, rather than ingredients for processed and unhealthy food or animal feed”.

It also went on to say that farmland will be “more resilient” to the impacts of climate change through sustainable management and multifunctional land use approaches, such as integrating trees for drought and flood resilience.

Government to make “long-term commitment” to food production

Looking more closely at food production, the report stated that the UK needed to produce food more sustainably from less land using a mixture of productivity improvements and the expansion of “highly efficient” sectors. To support this, the report said Government would make a “clear, long-term commitment” to maintain overall food production in England.

To support this, Government said it will make a number of changes, including:

• Develop a portfolio of sector growth plans, beginning with horticulture and poultry, looking at opportunities to improve productivity, profitability and resilience across farming sectors.
• Use the Farming and Food Partnership Board to bring together senior leaders from farming, food production, retail, finance and Government and aim to drive growth, productivity, and long-term profitability across the sector, informing the Farming Roadmap, to be published later in 2026.
• Include any permanent changes in agricultural land use in future Food Security Reports, and share this data with plan-makers so that the implications of strategic development decisions on food security can be better understood, and inform application of planning policy.
• Assess dependence on food imports in the UK Food Security Report in 2027.

Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds stated: “Our land is a vital national asset, but it is finite. We cannot be held back by the false choices between building homes and producing food, restoring nature and supporting farmers, or delivering clean energy and protecting landscapes.

“With better data, smarter tools and strategic planning, we can meet all these needs. This ensures people can manage their land in the way that works best for them while unlocking growth, strengthening food security and protecting our environment.”

A “step in the right direction”

Responding to the launch of Defra’s Land Use Framework, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “It’s positive to see an explicit recognition of multifunctional land use and a commitment to maintain food production within the framework. This commitment, alongside the repetition from Defra that food security is national security, is vital as the global geopolitical situation continues to become more uncertain with the war in the Middle East and ongoing war in Ukraine.

“The Land Use Framework is a step in the right direction, but challenges remain about delivering against the ambitious objectives as the first 2030 milestone approaches. Delivering on all objectives with existing land is an ambitious aim and will require clear guidance, the right policy framework and incentives, to avoid unintended outcomes and ensure that all farmers and growers are able to meet the ambitious productivity objectives within the framework.

“Important questions also remain on a long-term vision for food and farming. From the 25-year Farming Roadmap to the delivery of the Farming and Food Partnership Board, we want to work with Government to drive these policies forward to create confidence and profitability for farming and growing businesses and ensure 2026 sees British farming achieve all it is capable of.

“We will work through the detail of the framework and will continue to engage with Defra with further feedback from farmers and growers.”