Working for Resilient Farming Sector and Food Chain

Politicians need to ensure that the food chain works and the farming sector is given unhindered access to futures markets.

In his opening address to the National Farmers Union Conference in Birmingham, NFU President Meurig Raymond said that in an election year in the UK, the politicians needed to do all they can to reduce the effects of volatility on the sector.

Mr Raymond applauded work of the Grocery Code Adjudicator and the fact that she has now been given the power to impose fines.

However he called on the next government to extend the powers of the adjudicator to oversee issues further down the supply chain.

“Our experience in this country is that voluntary measures in the food chain do not necessarily work,” Mr Raymond said.

Also speaking at the conference Agriculture Secretary Liz Truss outlined the government four main priorities for building a more resilient farming sector and for cutting red tape.

She said the four priorities were to:

• Enable a productive and resilient industry
• Open new markets at home and abroad
• Make EU rules work for UK farmers, and
• Protect the country from plant and animal disease.

“Modern food production needs technical, scientific and management know-how,” she told the conference.

“It is hungry for skilled people.”

Also giving a keynote address to the conference, the new European Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan promised to re-examine and simplify the working of the Common Agricultural Policy although he said it was the bedrock of the means to produce sustainable and traceable food in Europe