Environment Secretary Steve Reed and Chancellor Rachel Reeves (Image: Getty)

       More than 50 environmentalists have urged Rachel Reeves to avoid a “hammer blow” to nature and food security by slashing the environment department’s budget. The groups, including the RSPB, the National Farmers' Union (NFU) and the National Trust, insisted the Government must not cut the “already inadequate” nature-friendly farming budget for the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra).

       Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link (WCL), said: “Defra is among the smallest, poorest Departments in Government, but it faces the biggest challenges—restoring our natural world, and supporting a rapid shift to wildlife-friendly food production. If the Chancellor cuts the wildlife-friendly farming budget, it would make a complete fantasy of plans to both restore nature by 2030 and create a competitive, sustainable farming sector.”

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       “The Sustainable Farming Incentive recently closed because demand massively outstripped the budget. The number of contracts for nature-friendly farming schemes has fallen. Budget cuts would hurt struggling farming families, scupper climate action and cause further damage to polluted rivers, damaged hedgerows, farmland birds, and pollinators.”

       Defra’s budget has been rumoured to be on the chopping block in the Chancellor’s spending review in June.

       But nature groups and farmers have raised concerns that cuts to the nature-friendly farming budget will potentially be hinted at in the spring statement on Wednesday

       NFU president Tom Bradshaw said: “Thousands of farmers across the country have signed up to government schemes – which were designed to replace the old EU agricultural support mechanisms and to provide environmental services for society – and thousands more were planning to, only to discover that applications closed suddenly overnight.

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       “This puts the vital work being done by farmers and growers as stewards of the countryside at risk, from delivering healthier soils to new habitat for wildlife, all while producing the nation’s food.

       “If government really seeks to end short-term economic policy-making, then it must confirm a multi-year future farming budget which is adequate to deliver government goals. Any cuts to the agriculture budget will make it impossible for government to deliver its commitments to support a sustainable, productive farming sector.”

       Most Britons feel that increased nature-friendly farming grants would have a positive impact, a YouGov poll for WCL found.

       Some 73% said it would boost wildlife and 57% said it would benefit rural communities.

       Environment Secretary Steve Reed has been given ￡2.5 billion for the next financial year, but funding for the final three years of this parliament will be subject to the spending review.

       While appearing before the Commons’ Environmental Audit Committee this week, Mr Reed hinted cuts could be coming for the department which will "have to do more with less".