If you’ve met someone from my team at an auction mart, a town hall, or an agricultural show, you’ve experienced a small part of what we call 'engagement.'
Engagement means having the right conversations with the right people at the right time. We do this year-round in different ways.
We hold regular calls with organisations that represent rural interests.
Online, we engage through the Farming blog and webinars, which help us reach thousands of people quickly. But we know not everyone wants to get their information from a screen. That’s why face-to-face engagement is just as important, as it allows us to meet people where they are.
The conversations my team and I have aren’t always easy, but they’re always open. There might be frustration or disagreement, but every time we hear from you, it’s valuable for us – and I hope for you too.
Talking and listening to you helps us understand what’s working, what’s not, and the local challenges you’re dealing with – often before they show up in reports.
We take what we hear back to the teams shaping policy. What you share – your experiences and the everyday detail – really brings these situations to life.
Not everything can be changed immediately, but your feedback helps guide decisions and priorities. And if you need advice or support on a specific issue, we can point you to the right people or resources. We’re typically joined by colleagues from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) and Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF).
Every year, we meet thousands of farmers at events all over the country. This year we’ve been to 60. And it’s not just our team.
Both our farming minister Daniel Zeichner and Secretary of State, Steve Reed, have also been out and about, from the Royal Cornwall Show to the Great Yorkshire Show, hearing your views first-hand.
We’re keen to keep up momentum.
As we shape the roadmap for the future of farming, we want to hear from you. If you’d like to share your vision for farming in 2030 and 2050, you can find us at shows across the country for the rest of the summer.
You can see the events we’ve currently got lined up on the Talk to us page.
I'll share them here for ease:
| Date | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6 September | Moreton Show | Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire |
| 6–7 September | Wolsingham Show | Bishop Auckland, County Durham |
| 10 September | UK Dairy Day | Telford, Shropshire |
| 10–11 September | Westmorland County Show | Milnthorpe, Cumbria |
| 13 September | Penistone Show | Barnsley, South Yorkshire |
| 13 September | Romsey Show | Romsey, Hampshire |
| 20 September | The Collingham Show | Collingham, Nottinghamshire |
| 20–21 September | Newbury Show | Thatcham, Berkshire |
| 1 October | The Dairy Show | Shepton Mallet, Somerset |
| 11 October | Alwinton Show | Alwinton, Northumberland |
| 31 October | Borderway Agri Expo | Rosehill, Carlisle |
We’re always looking for new places to visit and new people to hear from. If you have ideas for where we could go next, whether it is a stand at a county show or a chat in a village hall, you can get in touch with me by leaving a comment below. And if you know friends, family, or neighbours who would benefit from a face-to-face conversation, send them our way.
15 comments
Comment by Kevin posted on
Love the way you have avoided Dartmoor.
All you need to know is that you need to fix IHT bought on by your boss Mr Reeves. There is no point in doing any improvements or even trying if we cannot pass our land on without having to sell.
Poorly done
Comment by alicebrown posted on
Thank you for your comment.
It’s not our intention to avoid any area – we’ve been actively engaging across the South West to hear your perspectives, including on issues specific to Dartmoor. This year, we’ve attended a number of shows in the South West, including Launceston, Camelford and NSA Sheep South West but we’re open to suggestions if you think we’ve missed something.
Last week, we visited three auction marts across Devon and Cornwall. Michael and Phil from the team will be at Tavistock mart tomorrow morning if you want to share any feedback in person.
More widely, the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group brings together farmers, landowners and commoners, Natural England, environmental NGOs and other key stakeholders to implement the 25 recommendations in the government response to the Dartmoor Review.
Alice
Comment by Mrs Denise Seely posted on
Well done - this is excellent! But I would like to 'engage' with the same person when there is a problem to resolve. That person will take responsibility for resolving the problem. It is so frustrating for both parties constantly repeating the problem and so time consuming. Onwards!!
Comment by alicebrown posted on
Thanks for getting in touch – we really appreciate your support and completely hear you.
We know it can be frustrating to go over the same issue with different people.
We try to match staff with the ag show/auction mart locations they’re geographically closest to for a sense of familiarity and continuity, but in case your comment relates to the RPA contact centres, we’ll make sure to pass your feedback on to them.
Alice
Comment by George posted on
I am really impressed that you are getting out to meet real farmers. I guess the message you are getting is that many farmers feel undervalued and unwanted! The IHT issue is only a part of the problem, margins are so tight there is no hope of family members taking on the farm and paying the tax let alone investing. The upcoming environmental schemes promise great things, but will they actually be funded? Productivity grants look good but what will we produce to break even?
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi George,
Thanks for getting in touch. Listening to the challenges farmers are facing - from climate change to increased input costs - is really important. Hearing from them and relaying their views to shape policy is how we make things better.
On inheritance tax, the policy is set by HM Treasury rather than Defra, though we provide insights from the farming sector where we can. The changes coming in April 2026 are designed to protect the family farm as much as possible:
- Most estates claiming Agricultural and Business Property Relief won’t be affected.
- Two people with farmland can pass on up to £3 million without paying any inheritance tax.
- Any tax due can be paid in instalments over 10 years, interest-free.
- For the relatively few estates paying more, 50% relief still applies, meaning an effective rate of up to 20%.
Alongside this, Defra is focused on supporting farmers through practical measures. Over this Parliament, we’ve allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production, including:
- Environmental Land Management Scheme payments increasing by 150% by 2028/29.
- An average of £2.3 billion a year through the Farming and Countryside Programme.
- Up to £400 million for additional nature recovery schemes, including tree planting and peatland restoration.
We know that schemes only work if they’re practical and deliverable, and hearing directly from farmers helps us make them better and better supports sustainable farming while also safeguarding the wider environment and food security.
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Anthony McCarthy posted on
Are there currently any subsidies or support schemes available to encourage beef farming? Demand for beef is rising sharply, partly due to greater awareness of the health benefits of eating good quality meat. It would be useful to know if government policy recognises this shift in consumer demand and whether any financial support is being directed to help farmers scale up production sustainably.
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Anthony,
Thanks for getting in touch. The government recognises the value of maintaining sustainable and resilient livestock farming. While there aren’t currently subsidies specifically for expanding beef production, there are schemes that can help farmers improve animal health, welfare, and sustainability.
For example, the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway offers funded veterinary visits and herd health reviews for beef cattle. These visits can help farmers manage endemic diseases, boost productivity, and plan for the long-term health of their herds. You can find more information on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/animal-health-and-welfare-pathway/animal-health-and-welfare-pathway#cattle-beef-and-dairy
Farmers may also be interested in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), which rewards environmentally sustainable practices and can support wider business goals, though the scheme is currently closed. An improved offer is expected - so do subscribe to the Farming blog for a notification whenever we publish a new post: https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/subscribe/
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Belinda Barnes posted on
Hello Jack, and all fellow colleagues at DEFRA.
I'm writing again to say how bitterly disappointed I am that there will be no future funding to help me sustain the wildlife areas that have been created here at the farm under the Environment Stewardship scheme . The new SFI proposed to take over looked very promising, but the present government has seen fit to withdraw all funding except those funds that have been allocated for new capital grants.
The environment stewardship scheme has been running for such a long time. There will be a great many wonderful areas for wildlife that have been created over this time. All the funding that has been invested in these schemes, plus all the hard work and passion by the farmers involved will have ultimately gone to waste as many of these areas will be taken back into food production if there is no financial support available, especially in the current climate of very low profit margins on farms.
Of particular value here at our farm has been the field margins, as these have encouraged field voles and resulted in a flourishing population of owls. Also, here at our farm we have seen hundreds of birds fly to us in the winter to feed on the winter bird food crop. This has been an amazing success with chaffinch, goldfinch chiffchaff and many others using this crop as their winter larder. I can't bear to see them come and not find anything to eat, but fortunately I can continue to grow winter bird food as I had my application agreed for the SFI, before the government cut its funding. I do appreciate that there are serious budget constraints, but a small amount funding will go such a long way to retaining much needed support for our wildlife.
This is written with a passion for wildlife coupled with good sustainable food production.
Please do take the time to seriously consider the above when making decisions for future funding.
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Belinda,
Thank you for sharing your experiences. It’s clear how much care and dedication you’ve put into creating and maintaining wildlife areas, and it’s wonderful to hear about the birds, owls, and field voles that have benefited from your work.
Environmental Stewardship (ES) delivered a great deal of environmental benefit. Although it closed to new agreements, existing ES agreements continue to be funded for their full term. Farmers with Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements have been able to apply for Countryside Stewardship (CS) once their agreements ended, helping them continue and build on the environmental benefits achieved. Additionally, those with Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements that expired in 2024 were offered 2-year extensions. Those with HLS agreements expiring in 2025 will be offered 1- or 2-year extensions.
Most Capital Grants for 2025 are now closed, as funding has been fully allocated. However, some Higher Tier grants and specific capital items remain open, including support for woodland management, protection and infrastructure, and woodland tree health.
The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) has supported land management activities such as field margins and winter bird food. New applications closed in March when the scheme reached its funding limit, but all existing agreements continue to be fully funded. Farmers who were mid-application when SFI closed were given the opportunity to complete them. An improved SFI scheme is expected in 2026.
The work you and other farmers do to support wildlife is important - we've shared your comment with the policymakers in each area mentioned above.
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Belinda Barnes posted on
Thanks for you reply. I didn’t have higher level, so have taken up SFI funding instead. Hoping the announcement for SFI in 2026 will help me to sustain management of hedgerows, field margins and winter birdfood, cover crop, all of which have had huge benefits.
Comment by Tom B posted on
Hi, when are we to expect an update on the SFI scheme please? Not leaving much time for seasonal planning, thanks
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Tom,
The new Secretary of State Emma Reynolds and Minister Angela Eagle are currently reviewing our plans for the improved Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). We will publish information on the next iteration of the scheme in due course.
Best wishes,
The Team
Comment by Trudi Legge posted on
It is good that you do meet farmers and landowners. There is only one planned forum in the South west.
It also seems to me the new system is so long and protracted it is aimed at large farms who are able to pay for some one to read all of the literature and the smaller ones simply spend hours reading the information trying to understand it and then looking for the forms to complete and by that time the deadline has passed.
Comment by The Team posted on
Hi Trudi,
Thanks for getting in touch. We’ve really valued being in the south-west this year – attending 7 shows across the region. We’ll also be at the Dairy Show in Shepton Mallet tomorrow. If you happen to go, do say hello!
Our aim is to make both the guidance and the application process for schemes and grants as clear and accessible as possible. Each scheme and fund has its own guidance and process, and we’ve acted on feedback by extending application windows and making some available on a rolling basis.
We’re always looking for ways to improve. At the bottom of each page on GOV.UK there’s a question, ‘Is this page useful?’, where anyone can share feedback directly with the content team.
Best wishes,
The Team