This analysis describes the characteristics and scale of the agricultural sector, and its impact on the delivery of nature conservation objectives in England. It gives English Nature's objectives for the sector and sets out our three priority actions for 2001-2004. We also identify the key organisations and actions needed to influence policy and its delivery.

We outline the roles of the key shapers and players within the sector. The dominant influences in this sector are the Government, markets, and those who work and/or own land, agricultural advisers and consultants, and farm produce marketing companies. The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) leads on agriculture, with DTI, Treasury, Cabinet and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FAO) playing their part.

We examine the key socioeconomic and political factors that shape the sector. In particular, we look at the role of government in setting agricultural policy, the important influence of business decisions and markets, especially in the food industry. The importance of dynamic farm management and the increasing impact of new farming technologies is also examined.

We analyse the positive and negative impacts of the sector on nature conservation. Farming is a dynamic industry working in ways which both support Biodiversity on farms, but also threaten it. Over the last 15 years, farming policies have begun to reflect public interest, but the extent of this change has been too limited to address the serious decline of wildlife on farms and the scale of agriculture's links with conservation. Traditionally, agricultural policy has been determined at European Union (EU) and UK level, although a degree of discretion has allowed both the UK and regional government to make some decisions. Whilst limited, the policy areas of most interest to English Nature are initiatives such as agri-environment schemes, which are at the cutting edge of this regionalisation.