photo by Julian taken on his farm in Kelsale
Land use must change to benefit farmers and the environment
We believe there must be major changes in land use to restore our environment, improve food security and give farmers a sustainable future. We're calling for urgent introduction of a new national land use strategy.
Faced with the reality of climate change and declining income, including withdrawal of the Basic Payment Scheme, local farmers face unprecedented pressures. Prime agricultural land vital to food production is being lost to large-scale housing, often in the face of local opposition. Protection of the environment is under constant threat, with swathes of Suffolk's Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty already being abandoned for new nuclear reactors and offshore wind infrastructure.
How we'd use local land
The party's design for a national land use strategy is based on a wide range of studies by its expert Land Use Policy Working Group. It includes a 20-year land use plan, which would mean fewer construction projects on greenfield sites, a greater variety of arable and horticultural crops, more woodland and hedgerows to help store the carbon vital for climate control, and a programme of assistance to farmers as the changes evolve.
