Farming: Whole Farm Approach - Benefits
The Whole Farm Approach offers to farmers and growers the opportunity to save time, stay informed, demonstrate good practice, and a reduced risk of being inspected. For Defra and WFA Partners, the WFA will provide a new and accurate core set of data that can be used to make better-informed policy decisions. The WFA will reduce administrative costs and therefore the cost to the taxpayer.
There are a number of immediate benefits to farmers using the Whole Farm Approach, as well as several benefits that will be introduced over time.
As a farmer or grower, the Whole Farm Approach will help you to:
- Search and access a comprehensive library of up-to-date advice and guidance
- Spend less time form filling as WFA information is shared with partners to avoid duplication of requests
- Reduce the risk of being selected for inspection, through improved understanding of farming practices and evidence of regulatory compliance
- Make transactions with government and regulators quicker and easier as regular data validation by the farmer leads to higher quality data and faster processing
- Have ready access to a single view of data relating to your farm, which can be maintained and validated on an ongoing basis, for use in managing your business
- Register for Waste Licence exemptions
- Carry out a Soil Protection review of your farm
- Complete the June or December Agricultural Survey (if selected)
- Access an interactive advice and guidance Advisory Tool on Catchment Sensitive Farming
- Sign-up to receive important farming news and information direct to your e-mail account
- Receive Defra reminders and a calendar for key events and deadlines
- Undertake a self-assessment of your farming activities, review regulatory requirements and access best practice advice and guidance
The Whole Farm Approach is a long-term programme of work, and the range of services will available to farmers will increase over time. These include electronic SPS applications and Environmental Stewardship schemes, as well as providing geographic data through a mapping facility.
Page last modified: 17 June 2008
Page published: 13 September 2005