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Consultation Responses

Welsh Sustainable Farming Scheme Consultation

March 2024

The SSA has responded to the Welsh government's Sustainable Farming Scheme consultatoin which is designed to replace Common Agricultural Policy subsidies post Brexit. 

Regulatory review: Farming Rules for Water

February 2024

The SSA has updated a repsone to the 2021 Farming Rules for Water regulatory review following a call from the Defra Water Quality and Agriculture Team.

Call for Evidence: The role of natural capital in the green economy

September 2023

The SSA responded to The Environmental Audit Committee's call for evidence on the current and future role of natural capital in the green economy.

Call for Evidence: EFRA Fairness in the Supply Chain Inquiry

July 2023

The SSA addressed some of the key points on this recent call for evidence around the structure and operation of the food supply chain; market power and regulation; and food prices, security and fairness.

Labour Policy Forum

March 2023

The SSA responded to Labour's National Policy Forum Consultation "A Green and Digital Future" with our 6 policy asks for healthy soils.

Call for Evidence: EFRA Soil Health Inquiry

January 2023

In late 2022 the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into soil health. The SSA responded with a comprehensive review of the state of soil policy in the UK.

Call for Evidence: Scottish Agriculture Bill

December 2022

The SSA submitted evidence to Scotland's call for evidence on the new agriculture bill: Delivering our Vision for Scottish Agriculture- Proposals for a new Agriculture Bill.

Call for Evidence: Environmental Land Management Schemes Progress Update

August 2022

The SSA submitted evidence to Parliament's Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) Call for Evidence - welcoming the early emphasis on soil and highlighting areas of concern.

Call for Evidence: Green Finance Strategy

June 2022

The SSA with the UK Farm Soil Carbon Code Consortium submitted a response to the UK Government's call for evidence on a Green Finance Strategy, highlighting the need for a set of minimum standards in the soil carbon market and an open-access soil carbon code for new entrants into the market.

Nature Recovery Green Paper: Protected Sites and Species

May 2022

The SSA submitted a response to Defra's Nature Recovery Green Paper, highlighting the ways in which soil health is crucial to protected sites and species and the current policy and research gaps that need addressing.

UK Climate Change Commission Call for Evidence on Carbon Offsets

February 2022

The SSA submitted a response to the UK Climate Change Commission's Call for Evidence on carbon offsets, highlighting the role of soil carbon on behalf of the UK Farm Soil Carbon Consortium.

Northern Ireland Future Agricultural Policy Proposals Consultation

February 2022

The SSA responded to DAERA's consultation on future agricultural policy proposals for Northern Ireland, including the participation in soil testing as a condition for the Resilience Payment.

Northern Ireland Food Strategy Framework Consultation

November 2021

The SSA responded to DAERA's consultation on a draft Northern Ireland Food Strategy Framework, highlighting the importance of soil health in the framework's priorities.

Agricultural Transition in Scotland Consultation

November 2021

The SSA responded to the Scottish Government's consultation to inform the development of agricultural policy and the replacement to the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

House of Lords Nature-based solutions for climate change Inquiry

September 2021

The SSA submitted a response to the House of Lords' Science and Technology Committee Inquiry on Nature-based solutions for climate change, on behalf of the UK Farm Soil Carbon Consortium.

Agriculture (Wales) White Paper

March 2021

The SSA responded to the Wales Agriculture White Paper, the next stage of the previous consultations Brexit and Our Land and Sustainable Farming and Our Land.

Red Tractor 2021 Standards Review

March 2021

The SSA responded to the Red Tractor Standards 2021 Review. 

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Greenhouse gas removals: call for evidence

February 2021

The SSA responded to the call for evidence which seeks to strengthen the government’s understanding of the role of nature based solutions, including soils, in greenhouse gas removals (GGRs). 

EFRA Committee Inquiry on Environmental Land Management and the Agricultural Transition

January 2021

The SSA responded to the EFRA Committee Inquiry on Environmental Land Management and the Agricultural Transition. 

8 Farming Rules for Water Defra Regulatory Review

January 2021

The SSA responded to Defra's Regulatory Review on the 8 Farming Rules for Water.

Planning for the Future Consultation

October 2020

The SSA responded to the government’s Planning for the Future White Paper 2020 (England) that proposes reforms of the planning system to streamline and modernise the planning process.

River Basin Management Plan Consultation

September 2020

The SSA responded to the Environment Agency’s consultation on the 2021 River Basin Management Plan ‘Guide to Challenges and Choices’. 

Environmental Land Management Scheme: Policy Discussion

July 2020

The SSA responded on behalf of soil health to Defra’s ELMs policy discussion document.

Agriculture Bill

January 2020

Soils have been formally recognised as an essential natural asset providing a range of public goods, we call for an ambitious strategy and clear mechanisms for delivery to be put in place to achieve sustainably managed soils by 2030.

Economics of Biodiversity - call for evidence

November 2019

The SSA responded to the Call for Evidence on the Economics of Biodiversity led by Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta.

Sustainable Farming & Our Land, Welsh Farming consultation

October 2019

The SSA responded to the Sustainable Farming and Our Land Welsh Farming consultation aimed at supporting Welsh farmers after Brexit.

National Food Strategy

October 2019

The SSA responded to the National Food Strategy Call for Evidence aimed at improving England’s food system. 

EFRA Net Zero Inquiry

September 2019

The SSA responded to the inquiry to contribute to the sector’s net zero emissions strategy.

EFRA Peatlands Inquiry

September 2019

The SSA responded to the government’s peatland consultation.

Soil health and tenancy reform

July 2019

The SSA responded to Defra’s Agricultural Tenancy consultation. 

Flood & Coastal Erosion consultation

July 2019

The SSA responded to the Environment Agency’s consultation on the Draft flood and coastal erosion risk management strategy.

Defra Resources & Waste Strategy consultation

April 2019

The SSA responded to Defra’s Resources & Waste Strategy consultation in collaboration with Dr. Lynsey Blake (Durham University). 

Healthy Soils as a Headline Indicator: A Rationale

February 2019

The SSA submitted the Science Panel’s rationale for ‘healthy soils’ as a headline indicator to the government’s consultation on the 25 Year Environment Plan.

Environment Bill: Parliamentary Inquiry response

February 2019

The SSA responded to Defra’s consultation on the Environment Bill draft clauses. 

Brexit and our land: Securing the future of Welsh farming.

October 2018

The SSA responded to Brexit and our land: Securing the future of Welsh farming consultation.

Health & Harmony Consultation: The future of food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit

May 2018

The SSA responded to the government’s Health & Harmony consultation on The future of food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit.

25 Year Plan for the Environment

March 2018

The SSA  responded to the government’s 25 Year Plan for the Environment and convened a parliamentary event on soils in the Plan.