A new national research centre for food and the environment has been set-up, with the industry hoping this will ensure all areas of DEFRA’s policy are firmly based on science and evidence.

The Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) has been formed following a merger of DEFRA’s Central Science Laboratory with the Plant Health Division, Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate, Plant Variety Rights Office and Seeds Division.

The move is designed to strengthen the department’s work in plant and crop protection, food chain safety, environmental risk assessment and crises response.

Peter Kendall, NFU President, said: “In the 21st century farmers and growers will need to produce more food efficiently and safely, meet market demands, optimise the use of inputs, minimise environmental impact and provide positive environmental goods and services - all at the same time. Science and evidence-based regulation are key to enabling us to deliver this.

“The new agency should also play a major part in strengthening DEFRA’s negotiations in Brussels. This is clearly critical and could make a real difference.

“The pesticides legislation that has been approved this week is an example of when regulation is not science-based and it has been strongly criticised by the UK. We will need FERA to help prevent this situation in the future and to play a strong part in ensuring the UK can implement the new legislation appropriately.

“It is also essential that the ‘food’ part of FERA includes agriculture as a key element. A key message of the NFU’s Why Science Matters for Farming campaign is a call for recognition of the importance of production efficiency as a goal of publicly funded agricultural research.

“That efficiency is a win for the environment as well as for businesses and the economy. I hope the creation of this new agency will go some way in helping to achieve that,” he said.