Mims Davies MP delivering on our long-term plan for the environment

Since Rebecca Pow MP joined Defra as Environment Minister in 2019, she and other ministers at Defra, have had the opportunity to work on a wide range of subjects that make a huge difference to people’s lives in Mid Sussex and beyond.

Farming is the lifeblood of our rural communities, feeding the nation and protecting our green and pleasant land. This is why we have kept the national farming budget for England at £2.4billion per year throughout this parliament and set out plans for an annual food security index, backing the farmers who are key to our food security.

Farmers are also the custodians of much of our natural environment – which is why DEFRA are working with our hard working farmers by making sure our Environmental Land Management Scheme with its Sustainable Farming Incentive rewards them for delivering environmental benefits and producing high quality, sustainable food.

Alongside working hard with our brilliant farmers, DEFRA are going further to protect our much-loved natural landscapes for future generations, from the Yorkshire Moors to the Cornish Coast. We are establishing a new National Park, boosting funding for England’s National Parks and National Landscapes, and introducing new Landscape Recovery projects to restore nature.

Some specific highlights include:

• Delivering new and improved farming schemes that incentivise farmer action on soil health, hedgerow management, integrated pest management, buffer strips and low input grassland, allowing farmers to produce food alongside environmental goods and services.
• Creating 5 new community forests and designating a new Forest for the Nation, so that more people can connect with nature and enjoy our beautiful countryside.
• Putting into force Biodiversity Net Gain legislation to ensure developments leave nature in a better state.
• Creating thousands of green jobs through an £80 million government nature fund.
• Increasing tree planting to its highest rate in almost a decade, with 15 million trees planted in England since 2010.
• Launching a new Water Restoration Fund to reinvest water company fines and penalties into local projects to directly improve the water environment.

Mims Davies MP said: "It's crucial we continue to support our farmers and ensure we leave our beautiful environment in a better state for future generations.

"As a mother, this is very close to my heart as we also have some breath taking views and environments here in Mid Sussex.

"From strengthening our food security to agricultural production, animal welfare issues, recycling, water and flood protection, and nature recovery. I am very proud of the Department’s achievements across all policy areas where much of the hard work taking place is world leading."