Elms: England green farming subsidies detail unveiled

By Claire Marshall and Malcolm Prior

Rural affairs team

Long-awaited details of the post-Brexit farm-subsidy scheme have been published by the government.

Landowners in England will be rewarded for environmental work as well as for producing food.

The environmental land-management schemes (Elms) will pay farmers public money for actions like managing crop pests without chemicals and working towards net zero.

The measures have been broadly welcomed by farming and environmental groups.

According to the government, the money will enable farmers to produce food sustainably while protecting nature and enhancing the environment.

Environment Secretary Thrse Coffey said farmers were at the heart of the economy, producing food but also being the custodians of the land it comes from.

"These two roles go hand-in-hand and we are speeding up the roll out of our farming schemes so that everyone can be financially supported as they protect the planet while producing food more sustainably," she said.

Elms are designed to replace the European Union's common agricultural policy (CAP) now that the UK is no longer part of the EU. They represent the biggest shake-up of farm policy in England for 40 years.