TFA Blog #354 – What are We to Expect in the DEFRA 25-Year Farming Roadmap

In these times of policy being tied to short-term political cycles, DEFRA is to be congratulated on its plans to set out a Roadmap for the future of farming in England. As a follow-up to the Land Use Framework published earlier in the year, DEFRA intends to publish its Farming Roadmap in the summer to provide the farming sector with a direction of travel over the next 25 years, especially in response to calls for greater certainty around policy, investment, and the future of support schemes.

As a long-term vision, it is not anticipated that it will provide a detailed plan with fixed milestones, but it will be more of a strategic framework that can guide future policy and investment. However, there is no reason why the Government can’t be more detailed about its plans for farming over the next 3 to 5 years whilst understandably, the longer-term view will be much more high level. Identifying quick wins within that early period will be essential to ensure that there is confidence in the Roadmap. It will also be essential to ensure that the Roadmap is periodically reviewed as time passes.

To be useful, multiple routes will need to be charted to offer the flexibility to ensure different types of farming businesses can adapt in the context of their own circumstances and markets. The tenanted sector of agriculture will need specific attention, and it will be necessary to see the Roadmap address issues around short-term security of tenure, lack of flexibility to respond to diversification opportunities and loss of land to development which are all issues tenant farmers are grappling with now and will do so more in the future.

The Roadmap has been long in the gestation. There has been extensive engagement with the agricultural sector over the past 15 months with multiple workshops, focus groups and discussions at agricultural events. It must be hoped that this engagement will help to produce a practical and realistic plan which both recognises the diversity of farming businesses and the need to balance food production with environmental goals.

Whilst the Government has previously said that it wants to maintain domestic food production at least at current levels it would be hugely energizing to the sector if the Government signalled the need for growth both in absolute terms and in productivity. We must have a vision for farming that highlights how the sector will develop in a way which is profitable, productive, sustainable and resilient.

However, the Roadmap must not perpetuate the idea set out within the Land use Framework that a distinction can be made between keeping productive agricultural land in farming and taking less productive land out of farming to produce dedicated nature and climate outcomes. This land sparing approach is not appropriate and will not deliver the multiple benefits we need to see. A much more land sharing approach where food, farming and nature are addressed side-by-side should be the line the Roadmap promotes.

It is anticipated that the Roadmap will take a market-led approach but it must take a realistic view of where markets are failing to deliver the goals and outcomes we need as a nation. Government policy must address those market failures whether that is about the lack of return to farmers and growers from delivering high quality produce produced to high environmental and animal welfare standards, supply chain inefficiencies or barriers to secure access to land to name but a few.

It is accepted that the Roadmap is going to be a balancing act between maintaining food production and farm profitability while also strengthening nature recovery, climate resilience and environmental standards. Nevertheless, we have got to hope that it will be more than “motherhood and apple pie”. We need to see real commitment to predictable Government policies, market development and public and private investment. Perhaps a measure of the success of the Roadmap, particularly in the degree to which it is accepted across Government, will be the extent to which DEFRA is able to secure reform of the planning system, which will be a key need to ensure a profitable future for farming, in its influence over its colleagues in the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government.

This blog was written by George Dunn, Chief Executive, Tenant Farmers Association on 25 May 2026.

Related articles:

TFA News article – DEFRA Looks Long-term for Farming and Land Use in England (April March 2026)

Farm Profitability Review by Baroness Batters

Further Resources from the TFA:

TFA members can get expert one-to-one advice and guidance, by calling TFA head office on 0118 930 6130.