CLIMATE change, new policies and other pressures will change how land is used around the UK in the coming years, says the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV).

In its latest paper; Future Rural Land Uses in the UK, the CAAV reviews the pressures and opportunities for farmers. “From the overarching umbrella of climate change to advancing technologies, growing populations and development, shifting public tastes and expectations for air, water quality and biodiversity, how land is farmed and the purposes it is put to are going to change exponentially in the coming decades,” explains Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the CAAV.

“Now out of the CAP, founded on cereals and beef, what might we be farming in 2030? This will not only be about changing businesses but also changing landscapes, as each farmer and landowner reacts to the challenges and opportunities in order to grow and thrive. “The outcomes will be seen in the context of the long history of our landscapes, not just the last 50 years. These decisions will make our future countryside.”

Though Brexit may have held farmers’ attention, concentration needs to be turned to what farmers actually control in their own businesses, says Mr Moody. “Where does each farmer want to be in 2030.”