The future of Farming and Conservation: are Government cuts putting our environment at risk?

Recent government decisions have left farmers and conservationists alike questioning the future of environmental stewardship in the UK. With delays in funding, sudden closures of key schemes, and uncertainty surrounding future support, the risk is clear: without adequate environmental payments, I fear that many farmers may feel forced to prioritise production at the expense of nature.

Farmers play a crucial role in protecting and restoring our natural environment, but they need financial support to do so. With the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive 2024 (SFI24) applications last month, many farm businesses were left in limbo and facing uncertainty about whether these programmes will continue, or be adequately funded. The fear is that without these vital environmental payments, farmers will be pushed down a purely production-focused route, with little incentive to prioritise biodiversity, soil health, or water quality.

Conservation efforts are suffering due to a lack of government commitment. Our Assistant Director, Luke Bryant, recently highlighted the funding crisis for river restoration on BBC Breakfast. We had prepared 10 river restoration projects, expecting at least £370K in funding, but after endless delays, the Environment Agency has now confirmed that we will receive £15k this year under the River Restoration Strategy for a project on the River Ehen near Ennerdale Bridge. Whilst this is of course welcome, it’s importance to put this into context: last year we received just under £300k – most of which supported capital delivery, alongside some contributions towards staff wages and project management time.

This year’s £15k allocation enables the delivery of a single project, but it doesn’t provide the strategic support the Trust needs, nor does it allow us to invest staff time in developing future projects ready for delivery when (or if) new funding becomes available.

We also understand that the total budget from FCRM (Flood & Coastal Risk Management – the pot that helps fund river restoration) for all of Cumbria this year is just £90k. Previous years have seen around £700k shared among partners like ourselves. There is a possibility of further funding from WEIF (a separate Environment Agency pot), but with no confirmation yet - and low expectations that it would fund more than one project - the outlook remains deeply concerning.

Ultimately, despite this small and welcome grant from the Environment Agency, the overall situation remains bleak.

This drastic reduction in funding places significant strain on staff salaries, putting key team members' jobs at risk. More worryingly, the ongoing uncertainty undermines the trust we’ve worked hard to build with farmers and landowners, endangering years of successful collaboration.

Alasdair Boden recently wrote in Farmers Weekly that reaching out to us was "a leap into the unknown":

“The moment we got land, I realised I was out of my depth... and sent a plea for help. Before too long, WCRT were trudging through the fields offering advice on what to do and, crucially, what not to do. We do sometimes have to stop them going too far... but they respect that, and for that, I respect them and actively engage in their projects.”

Alasdair’s musings highlight the importance of collaboration between farmers and conservationists. We work with farmers to understand their challenges, respect their needs, and find common ground that benefits both the land and nature. But without proper support and funding, these valuable partnerships are at risk.

Cuts to the farming and conservation budget will massively hamper the government’s ability to meet its legally binding nature and climate targets. These funding gaps contradict ambitions to create a sustainable, globally competitive food and farming sector while also restoring biodiversity and improving resilience against climate change. The situation demands urgent clarity and action.

At the heart of all successful conservation efforts is collaboration – between farmers, conservationists, and government. There’s no need for an artificial divide between farming and nature. Many farmers want to implement environmental improvements but need the right financial and structural support to do so. When funding is stable, we’ve seen firsthand how farmers embrace conservation, improving biodiversity, soil health, and water quality while ensuring their own long-term resilience.

But when government funding falters, trust erodes. Promises become meaningless without action. The decisions being made now will shape the future of the UK’s countryside for decades to come. If the government is serious about meeting its environmental commitments, it must step up urgently and provide the funding and clarity that farmers and conservationists need.

We cannot afford to let nature become the casualty of budget cuts. The stakes are simply too high.