The Government’s consultation on the future of farming closes on Tuesday 8 May.

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Farmers & young farmers are strongly urged to take this opportunity to remind the Government that a safe, secure and traceable domestic food supply that is affordable for all is a public right that depends on a thriving farming sector.

Defra’s consultation  paper “Heath and Harmony: the future for food, farming and the environment in a Green Brexit” lays out the Government’s views on the future of agricultural policy, and sets out specific proposals and questions for public consultation.  

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has said that “there are huge opportunities for those in agriculture to play the leading role in shaping the future strategy”.

The NFU has defined 3 key areas to consider when responding:

1. Food Production - maintaining a robust and resilient domestic food production sector is in the nation’s interest.
2. Trade - it is essential that government trade policy ensures that our current world leading production standards are not undermined.
3. The Environment - producing food in a productive and resource efficient way brings environmental benefits for the UK and the world.

You can respond directly via the government’s Citizen Space and complete the web-based questionnaire here or via email to agricultureconsultation@defra.gsi.gov.uk

If you respond via the Citizen Space website you do not have to reply to all of the questions posed. You can read through the command paper before selecting which questions to respond to.

NFU President Minette Batters has urged farmers to have their say on the biggest farming consultation since 1947, saying: "It's phenomenally important that each and every one of you gets involved in this once in a lifetime opportunity to be shaping our future." 

“Farmers must be engaged and empowered to deliver the reforms that are coming. Otherwise there is a real risk that any future changes could be to the benefit of no-one.”

The CLA has set out three crucial pre-conditions that it says must be met before beginning any transition away from the BPS payments system. These are firstly to have absolute clarity on the long-term EU/UK trade arrangements; secondly a clear plan for investing in boosting agricultural productivity during transition; and thirdly clarity on what the long-term replacement system that will work for all sectors will be, and how it can be introduced.