The new farming minister Daniel Zeichner has pledged to ‘enhance’ Britain's food security with ‘a new deal for farmers.’
Over 130 MPs and Peers attended an NFU reception held one day after Labour detailed its priorities for the upcoming months in the King’s Speech.
Crossbench peer Lord Carrington sponsored the event in the House of Lords, delivering a speech alongside NFU president Tom Bradshaw and Mr. Zeichner.
The minister acknowledged that he understood ‘from the outset the pressures farmers are under’, emphasising that ‘businesses need stability and that will be our goal’.
He said the new Labour government is dedicated to the agricultural transition through the environmental land management schemes, ensuring the system benefits farmers.
Mr Zeichner stated: “You’ve heard the words food security is national security – it’s absolutely at the centre of Labour’s mission to grow the economy.
"Food security is a shared mission of this government, and we’ll absolutely share it with you.”
To achieve this, the minister outlined the government’s commitments, which include seeking a new veterinary agreement with the EU and ensuring farmers aren’t undercut by low standards in trade deals.
In response, NFU president Tom Bradshaw reflected on what has been ‘a challenging 18 months’ with unprecedented rainfall and low business confidence affecting farmers’ physical and mental health.
“We’ve dealt with flooding, we’ve got many fields which should be approaching harvest now that are laying fallow with bare soil, not producing any food.
“Despite this, we’ve proudly kept the nation fed,” said Tom.
“We know that the British public value the role of food and farming.”
He mentioned the results of a recent NFU survey which found that 74% of the public have a favourable view of farmers and growers, with 91% stating they feel that farming is important to the UK economy.
At the event, Lord Carrington also highlighted the challenges farmers faced, adding that it was ‘disappointing’ to see no mention of farming in the King’s Speech.
“We must now move from words to action on food security and a budget that enables that shift,” he said.
Daniel Zeichner was recently appointed as Defra's new farming minister by the Labour government. The MP for Cambridge had been Shadow Minister since January 2020 following on from his work as Shadow Transport Minister.
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