Tenant farmer access to green schemes is key

摘要

A vibrant tenanted sector is vital to the future of agriculture. We know tenancies are a key route into farming for those without a family connection to land or the capital to buy land, and they provide a flexible way for farm businesses to grow. Yet not all farmers who rent land receive the old land area subsidy payment. In fact, more than 30 of sheep farmers are already farming "subsidy free", while some larger agri-businesses in the vegetable sector operate on cropping licences where the landlord retains the entire subsidy.