Opinion: Farmers need to form alliances to gain political clout

Farmers are practical people. They rise early, work hard, and deliver the food that sustains the nation. Yet in the world of politics, they too often find themselves at the back of the queue.

Retailers, processors and global trading giants command the attention of ministers with polished lobbying operations and vast resources.

Farmers, meanwhile, are left with frustration and fragmented representation. That imbalance must change if British agriculture is to thrive.

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It is not that farmers lack organisations. The NFU, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and others do valuable work.

But they are outnumbered and outspent by corporate lobbies with far greater resources who hold more sway in Whitehall than the thousands of people who actually produce our food.

Policy is too often shaped in offices and boardrooms, not in farmyards.

Growing up in a farming family, I saw how a change in subsidy rules or a new regulation could ripple through a business overnight.

Yet those decisions were almost always made by people far removed from the daily realities of agriculture.

Farmers, divided by sector and geography, rarely speak with the unified voice needed to match their economic and social importance.

Diversity within the industry is one of its strengths, but in politics, division weakens influence.

Turning sympathy into strength

There is, however, reason for optimism. Public sympathy for farmers remains strong.

The pandemic reminded people of the importance of food security, while the likes of Jeremy Clarkson have brought new reach to the community.

Protests and tractor convoys make headlines, but genuine political progress depends on sustained, professional engagement.

The sector must move from reactive protest to proactive persuasion: briefing all MPs, influencing policy platforms, and presenting practical, deliverable solutions that match government priorities.

Public sympathy must be converted into structured power.

Farmers and their representatives need to be strategic about how they campaign, invest in communications, and build alliances with other industries that rely on home-grown produce.

Food manufacturing, hospitality and rural tourism all stand to benefit from a stronger, more resilient agricultural base.

Aligning those interests can create a broader coalition with real political weight.

Policy takers or policymakers?

The challenge is to redefine farming as a central pillar of national life, not a niche rural concern.

Food security, energy resilience, environmental protection and rural employment are all mainstream policy priorities. Farmers are already central to them, but the political narrative rarely reflects that.

In the coming years, more directly elected mayors will oversee rural areas, with powers extending beyond cities and into the countryside.

These new figures will control budgets and policy levers that affect everything from land use to transport.

If farmers are not part of those conversations, they will again be left reacting to decisions made elsewhere.

Building constructive relationships with mayors and combined authorities should be as much a priority as engaging with Westminster.

The future of farming’s influence will depend on unity, professionalism and foresight.

The sector needs a coalition that brings together the credibility of smallholders, the capacity of larger producers, and the expertise of rural businesses.

The NFU and CLA are natural convenors, but they will need to modernise how they communicate and collaborate.

Farming should be presented not as a problem to be managed, but as a partner in solving the country’s biggest challenges.

For too long, agriculture has been treated as a sector that policy is done to rather than one that shapes it. That must change.