Navigating the Post-Brexit Agricultural Transition in England: Farmer Decision-making and the Evolution of the 'Good Farmer' Concept

As countries worldwide embark on their own ‘green transitions’ towards more sustainable farming solutions, active involvement and engagement from farmers are crucial for a successful transition. This involves understanding how farmers respond to these changes and adopt new practices to support these transitions. This thesis focuses on investigating farmer behaviour and decision-making during the post-Brexit agricultural transition, spanning from 2021 to 2024. It analyses the significant changes in agricultural policy and financial incentive structures that have impacted England, particularly the shift from EU payments under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to the establishment of Defra’s Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes. This thesis focuses on the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), a dimension of the Environmental Land Management schemes, and examines its impact on farmer decision-making and behaviour during the post-Brexit period.

Changes in farmer behaviour are critically evaluated using the concept of the 'good farmer,'. The thesis assesses the extent to which the concept is fit for the purpose of describing and understanding farmer decision-making in post-Brexit England. By comparing two cases–of farmers who have engaged with the new agri-environmental schemes and those who have opted out –the thesis evaluates the barriers to participation and how farmer decisions reflect broader shifts in farming culture and practice. The research enhances understanding of farmer behaviour during periods of policy transition and develops the 'good farmer' concept. In doing so the research addresses a notable gap in the existing literature by proposing an updated conceptualisation of the ‘good farmer’–one that better reflects the modern realities and pressures shaping today’s agricultural sector. It establishes a novel approach to conceptualise farmer behaviour - the ‘good farmer spectrum’ –which can better account for the multiple archetypes of the ‘good farmer’ who have, through the post-Brexit transition, been shaped and motivated by differing levels and forms of social, cultural, and economic capital.