The Bill was introduced on 16 January and will replace
the EU’s flawed Common Agriculture Policy with a system
where farmers are rewarded with public money for public
goods, such as cleaner air and water or improved animal
welfare standards. At the same time, it will help to
boost productivity and maximise the potential of land
for sustainable food production.
Today, just under three weeks after the Bill was
introduced, the primary legislation is being brought
forward for Second Reading in the House of Commons.
This is the first opportunity for the new Bill to be
debated by MPs.
The Environment Secretary will open the session with a
speech setting out how the Bill will help safeguard
nature in England and protect our countryside, with the
future Environmental Land Management scheme already
being tested and trialled with farmers in many parts of
the country.
Environment Secretary said:
I am delighted to move the Agriculture Bill forward
to Second Reading, for debate and discussion in the
House of Commons.
Today is the first working day after our historic
exit from the EU and this Bill will enable us to
seize the one of the most important opportunities
from being an independent nation - the freedom to
write our own rules about how we farm and manage our
land.
For farmers, it will signal that the Common
Agricultural Policy is on the way out, to be replaced
by a better system of public money for public goods.
I look forward to working with parliamentary
colleagues to progress this Bill and write our new
agricultural legislation into law.
The Second Reading of the Agriculture Bill will
conclude this evening. The Bill will then go to
Committee Stage, with Report Stage and Third Reading
following this, before transferring to the House of
Lords for further scrutiny.
