Stephen Ayres works in the strategy team in the Future Farming and Countryside Programme.
His main focus is ensuring the programme is clear about the outcomes it’s trying to achieve, and has a plan to achieve them.
Stephen is keen to hear from farmers about their experience of the agricultural transition, and how Defra can support farmers for their work protecting the environment alongside their core role as food producers.
Before joining the Future Farming and Countryside Programme in 2019, Stephen worked in the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Cabinet Office. He was previously a secondary school teacher.
The Net Zero Growth Plan sets out how government plans to meet net zero while supporting economic growth and prosperity. In this post, I'll give an overview and explain how this relates to our farming offer.
Published today, the Environmental Improvement Plan sets out the actions we must take to help us restore nature, tackle environmental pollution, and increase the prosperity of our country. In this post, I’ll explain what the Environmental Improvement Plan means in the context of our work and, by extension, what this means for farmers and land managers in England. I’ll also share an update on the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.
On 1 November, you can come and put your questions to us at Borderway Agri Expo in Carlisle.
Find us at these shows and conferences in 2024.
