Agriculture: Lancashire
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of agri-science on (a) improving soil health and (b) reducing chemical inputs in farming in (i) Fylde constituency and (ii) Lancashire.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner
Defra has not made any assessments or carried out any research on soil health or reducing chemical inputs in farming in (i) Fylde constituency or (ii) Lancashire, specifically.
Defra understand the importance of soil health and will be developing a soil health indicator which can be applied nationwide to assess soil health. The indicator will assess soil health over time and track changes in the abilities of soils to deliver sustainable food production, carbon storage, reduction in runoff and soil biodiversity.
The Department is funding research into exploring the impact of agriculture on soil health and reducing chemical inputs to farming. However, none of these field sites are in Lancashire or the Fylde constituency.
Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →