A growing population in the UK but we have to lose 10% of farmland.

Are you referring to the solar panels that are going to be installed on farm land?

MORE than 10 per cent of farmland in England is set to be diverted to net zero and protecting wildlife by 2050, the Environment Secretary will reveal today.

Swathes of the countryside are on course to be switched to solar farms, tree planting, and improving habitats for birds, insects and fish.

The move is part of a consultation being launched today by Steve Reed on how the competing priorities of food production, net zero and nature should be reconciled in England.
Yes, I know it’s the DT but this was what I found this morning

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs estimates that 9 per cent of farmland would need to be removed from food production by 2050 to meet green targets,. A further 5 per cent is expected to be mostly taken out of production owing to a decreased level of food output, and another 4 per cent will share space with trees

A lot of agricultural land is not very productive. Mine is heavy clay, useless as arable and has limited use for stock especially as we seem to have so much rain. Now I don't have horses it's used for sheep for a few weeks each year and we take a cut of haylage in the summer which goes to a local livery yard. The rest of the year it provides privacy and a lovely outlook for our nearest neighbours. Most of the land here is like this, still sells for £10k+ an acre though!

You can have solar farms and crops sharing the same space.

www.agritecture.com/blog/2022/2/3/largest-farm-to-grow-crops-under-solar-panels-proves-to-be-a-bumper-crop-for-agrivoltaic-land-use

It’s a lot more than 10% of farmland being lost currently more like 25%+ and what there is yielding less because of regulations restricting inputs. Whole estates, several thousand acres are being taken out of food production
We are heading for shortages, a sensible government would reverse many of the restrictions the Tories brought in, whether Labour does that remains to be seen.

Absolute madness, but in the event of a recession the land can return to more productive use, if it hasn't been sold by farmers for house building. I gather Miliband is planning on filling the drilling shafts to gain access to fossil fuels with concrete.
Lack of foresight is a polite way of putting it. Britain appears to be reverting to its position of total unpreparedness before the advent of WW2.

It's absolutely terrifying.

Sparklefizz

It's absolutely terrifying.

No it isn't.

David49

It’s a lot more than 10% of farmland being lost currently more like 25%+ and what there is yielding less because of regulations restricting inputs. Whole estates, several thousand acres are being taken out of food production
We are heading for shortages, a sensible government would reverse many of the restrictions the Tories brought in, whether Labour does that remains to be seen.

I genuinely don't know what restrictions you mean currently in operation, David?

Picture from petra article showing how solar panels can work alongside farming

Wyllow3 and Petra if only Ed Milliband could be enthusiastic about a scheme like this…

Wyllow3

David49

It’s a lot more than 10% of farmland being lost currently more like 25%+ and what there is yielding less because of regulations restricting inputs. Whole estates, several thousand acres are being taken out of food production
We are heading for shortages, a sensible government would reverse many of the restrictions the Tories brought in, whether Labour does that remains to be seen.

I genuinely don't know what restrictions you mean currently in operation, David?

I don't understand why several thousand acres are being taken out of food production, either? Is this some form of anti government petulance on the part of the estate owner?

GrannyGravy13

Wyllow3 and Petra if only Ed Milliband could be enthusiastic about a scheme like this…

Who says that he isn't, GG13?

Using traditional methods of farming the UK has not been self sufficient in food for the past 200 years. I think we have to think smarter about how to produce food intensively from the land we have available while protecting the environment and biodiversity.

I'm off out shortly so don't have time to explore this. I hope to return to it later with a bit of 'research'

MaizieD I assumed that if EM was championing this he would have publicised it.

I only ever hear him championing carbon capture (someone should take him aside and say that’s what trees have been doing for millennia)

Like Maizie, I would like some explanation of whole estates, several thousand acres, are being taken out of food production , David.

eazybee

Absolute madness, but in the event of a recession the land can return to more productive use, if it hasn't been sold by farmers for house building. I gather Miliband is planning on filling the drilling shafts to gain access to fossil fuels with concrete.
Lack of foresight is a polite way of putting it. Britain appears to be reverting to its position of total unpreparedness before the advent of WW2.

I did some research on this easybee.

The holes have to be capped by concrete to avoid the escape of gases released by the fracking process

Whether there is a compromise ie part concrete part earth on top I dont know, I presume it's related to the depth of the fracking.

Barleyfields

Like Maizie, I would like some explanation of whole estates, several thousand acres, are being taken out of food production , David.

I wondered if it was large landowners taking land out of agriculture as its possible to get grants for re-wilding and as margins for profit on food production narrow just not "worth the bother" for them?

but perhaps the most concerning reason is included in this google summary:

"Large landowners sometimes take land out of food production to pursue alternative income streams like environmental schemes (tree planting, rewilding), carbon offsetting, solar power development,

or simply to reduce tax liabilities

often by reclaiming land from tenant farmers and utilizing government incentives for land conservation or biodiversity projects;

this can lead to concerns about reduced food production and potential impacts on food security

A satellite map of the uk will show large areas farmland that is too rocky hilly and unsuitable for arable crops. Often this is coastal and would be suitable for wind and solar farms.

GrannyGravy13

Wyllow3 and Petra if only Ed Milliband could be enthusiastic about a scheme like this…

Looking at several sources, sheep can graze under solar panels of normal height - here in farmers weekly - in mutually beneficial way

www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/how-solar-panel-diversification-is-working-for-a-sheep-enterprise

The solar panels would need to be higher to allow cattle to graze under (more expensive) although it is possible.

I don’t suppose I’ll be here by 2050, and I’m relieved about that.

where I live, massive areas of so called farmland are not farmed at all.

Perhaps I have a problem with my memory but I don't recall being asked how I felt about having thousands of immigrants coming into this country. Was it actually on Tony Blair's manifesto?

Sago

The Labour government are beyond belief.
How are we going to feed a growing population if we have to reduce productive farmland by 10%?
Is there something I am missing?

Has Milliband actually said we have to reduce food productive farmland by 10% Sago

or

is it the initiative to give famers incentives to increase biodiversity on their land by 10%, which isn't the same thing as losing 10% of food production

I would only agree with this initiative if the land in question is really unsuitable for food production.