The NFU has welcomed new Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom and called on her to put the future growth of the industry at the heart of a new British agricultural policy.
Leadsom was given the Defra hot seat yesterday after Liz Truss was moved to become justice secretary.
NFU president Meurig Raymond congratulated Leadsom on her appointment and said his team planned to meet her as soon as possible. “The NFU hopes it can work with her in a similarly productive manner as it did with her predecessor,” he said.
Raymond stressed that the Brexit vote had thrown up a number of uncertainties that had to be overcome, including around trade agreements, labour, financial support and legislation.
“Following a period of uncertainty we are now entering a significant time for our nation following the Brexit vote and the NFU and farming industry is looking forward to working closely with Mrs Leadsom as we together help forge the future of farming and food production in this country,” he added. “At the forefront will be a new domestic agricultural policy. This should encourage growth, innovation, productivity and profitability.”
Meanwhile the NFU has written to new Brexit secretary David Davis, welcoming his commitment to consult the union as negotiations take place.
“It’s heartening to hear that David Davis has expressed a commitment to consult with the NFU. Farming is the bedrock of the food and drink sector worth £108 billion and supports jobs for 3.9 million people,” Raymond said. “We have an exciting, dynamic industry, keen to capitalise on new opportunities.”
Implications of Brexit
In other news, over 80 organisations have signed a letter to Davis and Prime Minister Theresa May to stress the important implications of Brexit on food and farming.
The group said that with many of the UK’s food and farming policies and subsidies being defined at EU level, the UK government now has an opportunity to reshape these to ensure that taxpayers' money is spent for public good.
The letter, co-signed by over 80 food, farming, fair trade, poverty, animal welfare, wildlife, health and environmental organisations, argues that good food, farming and fishing policies must be central to any post-EU referendum strategy for the UK.
Kath Dalmeny, head of Sustain, an alliance of food and farming organisations which co-ordinated the letter, said: “The British public has given no mandate for a reduction in food and farming standards, a weakening of protection for nature, nor a reversal of the UK’s commitment to lifting millions of the poorest people in the world out of poverty through trade. We are seriously concerned that such vital considerations may be overrun by a drive for new trade deals at any cost.”
Professor Tim Lang from the Centre for Food Policy, City University London, said: “Brexit was largely won on the idea that the UK can ‘take back control’ but what does this mean in a country that imports nearly a third of its food? How will we manage for fruit and veg pickers if we can no longer rely on the 65 per cent of our farm workers that come from other EU countries?
“If we want a home-grown supply of fresh, healthy and sustainable food, then farm incomes must improve, including fair terms of trade for farmers, and better pay and conditions for farm workers, as well as some level of continued allowance for migrant and seasonal workers. Will David Davis advise the government to negotiate all that?”
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