New reforms to make farming more profitable have been announced today by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed, who faced a barrage of questions and objections to the Government’s inheritance tax reforms.
Speaking to farmers at the NFU conference in Westminster, Reed said the Government had a cast iron commitment to food production, and unlocking rural growth.
The speech announced a raft of new policies including setting up a new National Biosecurity Centre to improve the Animal and Plant Health Agency animal health facility at Weybridge with an investment of £200 million.
He said the Government would extend the Seasonal Worker visa route for five more years. Annual quota reviews would gradually reduce visa numbers, however, he said.
He echoed previous commitments to protect farmers in trade deals, ensuring parity for high environmental and animal welfare standards in future trade deals.
“The underlying problem is that farmers do not make enough money for the hard work and commitment they put in,” said Reed. “I will consider my time as Secretary of State a failure if I do not improve profitability for farmers across the country. My focus is on ensuring farming becomes more profitable because that’s how we make your businesses viable for the future. And that’s how we ensure the long-term food security this country needs.”