Consumers value nature over food shows survey

Rural voters believe that government payments to farmers should support nature restoration, even at the cost of food production.

A poll by Stack on behalf of The Conservative Environment Network (CEN), also found that rural communities want greater sustainability and financial support for farmers.

See also: NFU president – Budget must invest in food and farming

The poll came at a time when rumours are rife that Defra may be forced to hand back some £100m of money to the Treasury as part of the impending Budget.

Most voters, CEN highlight, recognise the impact of nature destruction and climate change on food security, with 69% of all 2024 voters, 72% of 2024 Conservative voters, and 66% of rural voters agreeing that damage to the natural environment threatens our ability to produce food.

But given the choice between funding farmers to support nature restoration or food production, almost half (47%) said farmers should restore nature first, even if that means growing less food in the UK. Just 18% disagreed with this statement.

Kitty Thompson, senior nature programme manager at CEN, commented: “Instead of wasteful EU subsidies for managing farmland, (former Conservative government) ministers created a world-leading payment system which rewards farmers for protecting the environment alongside producing food.

“This polling clearly shows voters want payments to support farmers whilst restoring nature.”

Budget

Voters are not the only ones concerned about a reduction in budget and it’s impact on what the industry can deliver. 

Last month, the NFU called for a renewed and enhanced multi-annual agriculture budget of £5.6bn, the majority of which is needed to help farmers deliver the government’s environmental goals, with the remainder looking to drive productivity and support the economic stability of farm businesses.

Commenting at the time, NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “This will deliver certainty to our food-producing businesses and ensure our food security and environmental targets, all of which contribute to the government’s own missions for growth and prosperity.”