The Farming and Countryside Programme

The farming sector is a small but vital part of the UK economy. Despite only accounting for 0.6% (£13.9 billion) of the economy in 2022, the farming sector in the UK produced 62% of the food we ate in 2023. This increases to 75% when only considering food that it is possible to grow in the UK.

Following the UK’s decision to leave the EU, the government has been developing a new approach to farming and the countryside in England, describing it as the “biggest change in agricultural policy in half a century”. This transformation is taking place at a time when extreme weather, market conditions and world events are combining to put many farm businesses under pressure.

This the National Audit Office’s third report on the Programme. It covers how Defra is:

• managing the Programme and addressing key risks
• delivering environmental outcomes and food production
• seeking to improve farm productivity and maintain a viable farming sector