Gove prepares overhaul to farm manufacture subsidy
27 Feb 2018
The £3 billion subsidy for British farmers will be continued for several years after EU withdrawal but with a wider emphasis on promoting the environment, minister Michael Gove has hinted.
As he prepared to launch a consultation document earlier this week on the transition of agriculture post-Brexit, the environment secretary was expected to say that £150 million would be cut from monies received by the wealthiest farmers.
It is predicted that Gove will opt to scrap the existing system of direct payments and offer money instead for projects which promote sustainable farming, environmental improvements and biodiverse approaches. Wider concerns such as wildlife preservation and better protection against flooding have also been cited.
His consultation document drawn up by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) will suggest options for the most radical overhaul of UK farming in decades.
Early indications are that these will include a £100,000 ceiling on payments and a gradual reduction in subsidies.
Since taking over the portfolio, Gove has been an advocate of a more environmentally-conscious approach and criticised the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy for favouring farmers with the greatest amount of land.
