RYEDALE’S MP is calling on farmers to have their say on the future of farming in England as part of a new public consultation.

Kevin Hollinrake, MP for the Thirsk & Malton constituency, said that new proposals for the agricultural industry post-Brexit have been set out by the Government and he is urging anyone who will be affected to take part in a consultation.

The new proposals are outlined in a report entitled Health and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit.

In the report’s foreword, secretary of state Michael Gove said: “Now we are leaving the EU we can design a more rational, and sensitive agriculture policy which promotes environmental enhancement, supports profitable food production and contributes to a healthier society.

“The environmental damage we have suffered while inside the Common Agricultural Policy has been significant. Soil health has deteriorated. Farmland bird numbers have dropped. Precious habitats have been eroded.

“And at the same time a system of subsidy skewed towards those with the biggest landholdings has kept land prices and rents high, prevented new talent coming into farming and held back innovation.

“Even with those constraints, however, British farmers have been producing high quality food, doing their best to protect the environment and keeping our rural areas economically healthy.”

The new proposals will mean that money will be redirected from direct payments under the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) - which is based on the amount of land farmed - to a new system of paying farmers “public money for public goods”.

This means farmers will be paid for their work to enhance the environment and invest in sustainable food production.

Mr Hollinrake said there could also be support for investment in technology and skills to improve productivity, providing public access to farmland and the countryside, enhanced welfare standards for livestock and measures to support the resilience of rural and upland communities.

However, the new system would not begin until after a "transition" period lasting until 2022. During this time, Mr Hollinrake said that the Government will continue to commit the same amount of money as is currently paid.

He said: “I’m pleased to hear that its proposals include an 'agricultural transition' lasting a number of years beyond the implementation period during which direct payments would continue, providing stability and certainty for farmers as they prepare for the new system.”

The consultation will close on May 8.

You will find more information at gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-for-food-farming-and-the-environment.