Labour's green plans 'will take a significant amount of land out of food production'

LABOUR has been accused of plotting the "slow death" of thousands of traditional farms to meet environmental targets.

- By Steph Spyro

The Government wants farmers to shift away from food production towards eco-measures such as solar panels and tree planting.

But it will mean the "equivalent of 12,000 farms" closing within a generation, according to Tory analysis.

Around 9% of England's farmland will need to be converted into forest and wild habitats by 2050 to meet the Government's net zero and nature targets. Farmers slammed the plan as an "attack on Britain's rural identity" and a threat to food security.

And former Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said: "Before the last election, I warned that Labour's eco plans would force thousands of farmers out of business and the Government's own documents now show this was correct.