The National Farmers’ Union has said statutory levy boards should be retained as long as they are modern, flexible and value for money.
This was the organisation’s main conclusion when it submitted its views on the Radcliffe Review of Agricultural and Horticultural Levy Bodies to a Defra consultation last week.
NFU president, Tim Bennett, said: “NFU members are the major stakeholders of the levy bodies. It is vital we see their needs addressed in this review.
“It is the NFU’s view that levy bodies should demonstrate value for money for their stakeholders; they should be accountable, transparent and clear in their objectives; and they should be specific in their roles - they should not be seen as an extension of Defra and neither should they tackle the wider food chain activities. We want well run, flexible levy bodies which reflect the needs of the specific sectors they represent.
“Levies in the UK add up to £55 million. Levy boards need to take their direction from the people who pay them. They must identify what their sectors need, they must get support from their levy payers and then they must set their budgets and levy rates.”
The NFU’s submission to Defra detailed its own suggested framework for how the new look levy bodies should be structured and governed as well as its response to the consultation questions.
The consultation is now in the hands of ministers, but NFU members can view their union’s full response online at www.nfuonline.com
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