Suffolk council moves to protect 12,000 acres of county farms

More than 12,000 acres of Suffolk county farmland are set to be protected from future sell-offs under a renewed commitment from Suffolk County Council.

The council said its county farms should remain available to support farming, food production and rural communities, rather than being treated as assets for disposal.

The estate currently supports 88 agricultural tenants, who produce cereals, vegetables, root crops and livestock while also delivering biodiversity and nature recovery work.

The council said the move was designed to keep prime farmland in agricultural use, protect opportunities for tenant farmers and support rural economies.

Existing proposals involving council-owned land that are already in progress will still be assessed case by case, but the council said any future sale of county farm land would face exceptional scrutiny.

Sales would only proceed where there was clear evidence of significant benefits for Suffolk’s agricultural sector, local communities and the future of farming and food production.

Councillor Morgan Brobyn, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for food, waste and rural affairs, said agriculture was vital to the county and that the estate should be viewed as a long-term asset.

“This is a very straightforward decision for me,” he said.

“Agriculture is incredibly important to Suffolk, and as a county council we should be doing everything in our power to support and protect it.

“County farms are much more than a line on a balance sheet. They support food security, food production, nature recovery, rural livelihoods and opportunities for future generations of farmers.”

Cllr Brobyn added that decisions affecting the estate should reflect its contribution to Suffolk’s economy, environment and rural communities.

Paul Button, chairman of the County Farms Tenants Association, welcomed the commitment and said county farms remained an important route into the industry.

“For me, county farms are about opportunity,” he said.

“They give people the chance to establish themselves in farming, develop their skills and build a sustainable business.”

Mr Button said protecting the holdings would help safeguard that pathway for future tenants, while recognising the wider value county farms bring through food production, nature recovery and rural communities.

The council said its future management of the estate would be guided by food production, tenant opportunity, nature recovery and the needs of Suffolk’s rural communities.