Despite the trials and tribulations of the weather and its effect on agriculture Owen Paterson argued that there was much to be positive about. "Farming in this country successfully produces food for 63.5 million people and supports industries that add nearly £90 billion to the UK economy. It also adds value in many other ways, from enhancing some of our most valuable habitats to managing the landscapes that underpin recreation and tourism."

Rural economy too

He also stated that is was Defra’s role to create the right conditions for rural businesses to thrive and grow. That is why they are investing £530 million in superfast broadband for rural areas by 2015, with £20 million for the most remote communities, as well as overseeing a £150 million programme to get mobile phone masts into rural areas, helping to overcome the perennial frustrations of not-spots.

GM has a role

It has also been estimated that the production of a given quantity of a crop now requires 65 per cent less land than it did in 1961. But with a rising world population we need to do more.

That is why "the UK Government as a whole invests over £410 million annually in research in the agriculture, food and drink sector." GM also needs to be considered. Paterson said that he "fully appreciate the strong feelings on both sides of the debate. GM needs to be considered in its proper overall context with a balanced understanding of the risks and benefits. We should not, however, be afraid of making the case to the public about the potential benefits of GM beyond the food chain, for example, significantly reducing the use of pesticides and inputs such as diesel. As well as making the case at home, we also need to go through the rigorous processes that the EU has in place to ensure the safety of GM crops. I believe that GM offers great opportunities but I also recognise that we owe a duty to the public to reassure them that it is a safe and beneficial innovation."

Need for a skilled workforce

To put farming on a sustainable footing, it needs a highly skilled workforce. We need entrepreneurial, ambitious people who have both the motivation to succeed and the skills to do so. There are half a million people employed in agriculture and horticulture. And almost 4 million in the food and drink sector in total. He sais that "there are exciting opportunities at every level of the industry, ranging from agronomy to research and engineering. We should be encouraging graduates and people with experience and skills from other sectors to take advantage of them."

New markets are opening up for UK produce. British food is increasingly marketable abroad due to its relaible traceability, high animal welfare standards, top quality ingredients and raw materials, coupled with rigorous food production systems.


At home, we are currently 78 per cent self-sufficient in the type of food we are able to grow in this country. We currently import 22 per cent of food that could be produced here. For example, we have a £1.2 billion trade deficit in dairy products. Each year we bring in 115,000 tonnes of ice cream – more than double the 50,000 we send abroad, 150,000 tonnes of yoghurt – six times the 25,000 we export. British fruit and vegetable growers are in a similar position.

"We can all do more and, just as everyone got behind Team GB last summer, we must get behind our food producers. By buying British, we boost the rural economy and enjoy some of the best quality produce in the world."

In addition the public places a huge value on the work farmers do for the environment. The Government supports this work through its agri-environment schemes. Around 70 per cent of our agricultural land is covered by such agreements delivering benefits for agriculture and the environment.

CAP Reform

2013 is an important year for CAP reform. It is clear that in this round, due to run until 2020, Pillar 1 will continue. Paterson said he believed "that there is a role for taxpayer’s money in compensating farmers for the work they do in enhancing the environment and providing public goods for which there is no market mechanism. Farming makes a real contribution to our habitats and wildlife. We must be able to continue to develop our agri-environment schemes.

He said he would continue to push for greater simplification as "we cannot afford another round of unnecessarily complex or costly reforms."

As we explore farming’s broader contribution to society, it is vital that we find ways of placing a value on nature so that we can make informed choices when it comes to assessing the economic value of one form of farming against the environmental value of another.

We have established the Natural Capital Committee, chaired by Professor Dieter Helm, to explore how we might be able to create a value system around our natural capital which acknowledges the diversity and benefits we all enjoy from our wildlife and landscapes alongside the need for a living, working countryside.

Animal and plant health vital

On animal health Paterson said that this 'must be at the heart of everything Defra does'. Many of our most delicate landscapes and wildlife depend on the presence of animals such as the Herdwick in the Lake District or the Southdown on the Downs. These animals, and the benefits we derive from them, sum up the multi-faceted contribution farming makes to society.

Bovine TB is the most pressing animal health problem in the UK. Its impact cannot be overstated. The cost to the taxpayer could rise to an estimated £1billion over the next decade if the disease is left unchecked. The pilot badger culls will go ahead this summer. But culling is, however, only one element of the Government’s approach to tackling bovine TB. "That is why we continue to strengthen cattle movement controls, increase our surveillance testing regime and invest in research into badger and cattle vaccines. I’m also keen to pursue better diagnostic techniques such as PCR and to work with the European Commission on a way forward on vaccination."

Schmallenberg is another reminder of the many threats to our livestock. Defra is funding research in the UK and collaboratively with other EU countries to find out more about this virus, how it spreads, how it works and what its impact is. But it is not just animal diseases that we need to focus on as the rise of Ash dieback showed the need to prioritise plant health and the centrality of plants to our economy, landscape and history. "I am determined that disease in trees and plants is given the same priority as that in animals."