19 Mar 2026 Defra publishes its land use framework

Defra’s Land Use Framework has been published, setting out its vision for land use in England, with commitments to maintain food production and a strategy based around multifunctional land use. The document sets out why change is needed and how it can be achieved if we use land more efficiently. The framework includes four principles to guide better land use decision-making:

• Multifunctionality: Land use should be planned and managed to deliver greater benefits across a range of outcomes.
• Right use, right place: Land should be used in ways that align with local context.
• Future-ready decisions: Decisions should take a long-term view.
• Adaptive by design: Policy and delivery should be flexible to evolve and respond to changes.

By 2030, it says farmers and growers will have clarity on the long-term opportunities for their land and policy on food production.  It predicts that, by this point, many farmers will be stacking multiple income streams on top of food production; ELMs will be key to this. By 2050, agricultural land will be managed to ‘prioritise sustainable food production and environmental benefits’.  Read the document on this link.