Time to deliver on farming pledges, government told

The government faces calls to put its money where its mouth is after Defra minister Daniel Zeichner pledged a “new deal” for Britain’s farmers.

Mr Zeichner made the pledge during an NFU reception in parliament last month. More than 130 MPs and Peers attended the reception – held one day after Labour outlined its priorities in the King’s Speech.

The government was committed to the agricultural transition away from the Basic Payment Scheme towards environmental payments, he said – and to ensuring the system works for growers and livestock producers.

Rather than Farm Minister, Mr Zeichner will be known as Food Security Minister as the government emphasises the importance of feeding the nation. But his role still encompasses responsibility for agriculture.

“You’ve heard the words food security is national security – it’s absolutely at the centre of Labour’s mission to grow the economy. Food security is a shared mission of this government, and we’ll absolutely share it with you.”

That said, the NFU has called on the government to increase its annual farm budget to £5.6bn. It says doing so is vital if farmers are to help the UK meet its Net Zero commitments while producing food and delivering a better environment.

NFU leader Tom Bradshaw said: “At a time of climate change and the geo-political situation we see at the moment, there has never been a more important time to deliver on those words of food security and national security.”

Agricultural transition

Mr Bradshaw said Defra secretary Steve Reed must also commit to a transparent transition as direct payments are phased out – and publish its  assessment of the impact on both food production and business viability.

The NFU also wants to see government promises on fairness in the supply chain translated into meaningful policy, and legislation to deliver on Labour’s commitment to source 50% of food for the public sector locally “as soon as possible”.

Welcoming Labour’s commitment around a trade strategy that promotes high standards of food production, Mr Bradshaw said: “For too long we’ve felt like we’ve been competing with our hands tied behind our backs.”

Environmental groups have also called for a big increase in the government’s budget for agriculture – arguing that more is needed for farmers to tackle the nature and climate crises.

Some £5.9bn per annum is needed to meet legally binding nature and climate targets – and improve the resilience of the UK farming industry, says a report  by the RSPB, National Trust and The Wildlife Trusts.

For every pound of public money spent on nature restoration, the return will be at least three times that investment, it adds.

Farming is ‘one of UK’s most valued professions’

Farmers are second only to nurses as one of the public’s most favoured and valued professions, suggests an NFU poll.

Some 74% of the public have a favourable view of farmers and growers, recognising how hard growers and livestock producers work in all weathers to produce food for the nation, found the OnePoll survey.

Of those surveyed, 91% said they felt farming was important to the UK economy, demonstrating the key role agriculture businesses play in kickstarting growth for Labour’s new mission-led government.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw thanked the public for their support. “When we’re out in our fields, sheds and glasshouses we never take it for granted and it spurs us on to get the food onto their plates,” he said.

“The results of the survey show it is vital the new government recognises how much the public value our farmers and growers and the climate-friendly, nutritious food we provide.

New MPs and peers at the NFU reception heard that 89% of the public feel it is important that Britain has a productive farming industry. Respondents said they  support increasing self-sufficiency in UK food production.

Some 87% of people said it was important that trade deals made by the government ensure that imported food meets the same animal welfare standards as those met by farmers in the UK.

A separate  survey of almost 800 NFU member businesses across all major UK farming sectors found that confidence had fallen over the past year among growers and livestock producers.

Mr Bradshaw said: “It is not just ‘more money for farmers’ but an investment that means farmers and growers can do more of what the public value them for – delivering more climate friendly, high welfare food, delivering for the environment, increasing clean energy production and kickstarting economic growth.”