NFU president presses Reynolds on farm policy
Defra secretary Emma Reynolds meets with NFU president Tom Bradshaw © NFU New Defra secretary Emma Reynolds was met with early discussions on farm support, trade, and tax policy during a meeting with the NFU on her first day in office.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw set out the union’s concerns over farm support, trade deals, and proposed tax changes during the meeting in London on Monday 8 September.
These included the impact of Labour’s proposed changes to farm inheritance tax, the ongoing uncertainty surrounding agri-environment schemes, and the cumulative pressure from recent trade deals – notably the UK-US agreement and the pending Gulf Cooperation Council deal.
See also: Angela Eagle replaces Zeichner as Defra farming minister
Speaking after the meeting, Mr Bradshaw said: “Members will be pleased to hear that the secretary of state took time on her very first day in office to meet with the NFU and discuss the key issues facing food and farming.
“This is a challenging time for our sector. We face an increasingly volatile global situation – both due to war and a changing climate – and our nation’s food security could not be more important.”
With farmers calling for stability and support, the NFU leader stressed the urgent need for long-term investment to help producers deliver on both food production and environmental goals.
“Farmers and growers want to produce more food, do more for the environment and grow their businesses, and to do this the sector needs investment,” Mr Bradshaw added.
“Given the economic and social importance of our food and farming sector, I’m hopeful that Ms Reynolds’ economic background will help drive this investment forward.”
‘Positive’ talks
Describing the meeting as positive, Mr Bradshaw emphasised that this was only the beginning of what needs to be a close and continuous dialogue between government and the farming community.
“More work is to be done. I look forward to working closely with her in the months ahead as we strive towards a better future for one of the nation’s most vital sectors – British food and farming,” he said.
The meeting comes amid mounting pressure on the new Defra team to provide greater clarity on rural policy and farm support schemes, particularly in the run-up to Back British Farming Day this Wednesday.
The government’s reshuffle, which included changes at Defra, was triggered by the resignation of deputy prime minister Angela Rayner last week, prompting Sir Keir Starmer to reorganise his top team.
Ms Reynolds, Labour MP for Wycombe, replaced Steve Reed as Defra secretary and Dame Angela Eagle was appointed as Defra farming minister, replacing Daniel Zeichner.