Food production pledge in Defra land plan questioned

Defra’s long-awaited Land Use Framework pledges to maintain food production while also supporting housing, infrastructure, energy, and nature – but industry leaders say farmers will need clarity on what is expected of them and their land.

With England’s population projected to reach 78m by 2050 and the UK producing just 60% of the food it consumes, pressure to safeguard homegrown supplies amid global uncertainty is mounting.

The framework explicitly frames food security as “national security”, promising protection for the country’s best and most versatile farmland.

See also: Food production is ‘the poor relation’ in land use policy

Ministers say competing goals can be achieved by managing land through a multifunctional approach – such as producing food, restoring nature, reducing floods and generating clean energy – rather than taking large areas out of production.

Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network, told Farmers Weekly that despite Defra’s pledge to maintain food production levels, he doubted the report would drive any increase in domestic output.

“We have got competing asks for the land use and this report starts the conversation, but we need more information to get to farmers around how they plan their businesses for the future,” he said.

“Specifically on food production, we need to focus more on the food we can produce more of in this country. We are not producing enough fruit and veg and we cannot continue to rely on imports from water-scarce countries.”

The framework sets out a long‑term vision for 2030 and 2050, promising farmers clarity on sustainable, profitable food production and, by mid‑century, a balance between high‑quality output and environmental resilience.

Integrated land use

Launching the framework in a speech at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in London today, Defra secretary Emma Reynolds said: “Our land is a vital national asset, but it is finite.

“We cannot be held back by the false choices between building homes and producing food, restoring nature and supporting farmers, or delivering clean energy and protecting landscapes. 
 
“With better data, smarter tools and strategic planning, we can meet all these needs. This ensures people can manage their land in the way that works best for them while unlocking growth, strengthening food security and protecting our environment.”

Five-yearly updates

Rather than binding rules, the framework acts as a strategic guide, with five‑year updates and new digital mapping tools to help inform decisions.

Government data shows about 8.8m hectares in England are classed as Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) – roughly 68% of the country’s land.

Defra modelling proposes that, by 2050, England can meet food production, nature restoration and development goals without reducing domestic output – provided productivity rises and land is managed more efficiently across the following categories.

Most farmland (Category A) will remain in production but will require major changes in soil management, inputs and climate‑resilience.

Category B covers 480,000ha – around 4% of England’s land and 5% of the UAA – where farms remain primarily productive but incorporate agroforestry, field margins and species‑rich grassland.

A further 788,000ha (6% of land; 9% of UAA) falls into Category C, earmarked for peat restoration, woodland creation and habitat recovery, with some low‑intensity food production continuing.

Urban expansion (168,000ha) and renewables (155,000ha by 2050) each account for 1-2% of UAA.

The South East faces the sharpest development pressure, with house‑building and infrastructure competing for land. East Anglia’s arable heartlands are targeted for water‑quality interventions, meaning more buffer strips and nature‑based measures around fields.

The North West uplands are set for large‑scale peat and habitat restoration, tightening grazing flexibility. The South West may see expanded broadleaf woodland and grassland restoration, constraining pasture‑based systems.

Mr Lines noted that the framework asks the uplands to deliver an increased range of outputs, such as water management, trees and peatland restoration, alongside food production, adding that “this transition needs to be carefully managed”.

Further reaction

Tenant Farmers Association chief executive George Dunn noted that agriculture appears “earmarked to sacrifice land” for climate and nature goals.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said Defra’s commitment to maintain food production within the framework, alongside its repetition that food security is national security, was “vital”.

CLA president Gavin Lane welcomed the push for co-ordinated land-use thinking but warned that over time the framework “must not become prescriptive, bureaucratic or result in zoning”.