Policy – Page 2

‘Health, Beauty and Permanence’ – Reflections on Michael Gove’s NFU Conference speech

I haven’t made it to the NFU Conference this year, but thanks to the wonders of youtube I was at least able to catch outgoing NFU President Meurig Raymond’s speech and Defra Secretary Michael Gove’s speech (thanks @NFUtube!). You can of course read the full speech from the Secretary of State here. Here is a briefContinueContinue reading “‘Health, Beauty and Permanence’ – Reflections on Michael Gove’s NFU Conference speech”

The long awaited 25 Year Environment Plan

I’ve been stuck indoors today, struck down by flu yesterday. There are a lot of things going around at the moment, and I was being optimistic and hoping that I wouldn’t catch anything this winter. Oh well! Hopefully I’m now over the worst of it but you never really can tell with these things. ItContinueContinue reading “The long awaited 25 Year Environment Plan”

”No deal would be a very bad deal indeed”: some words on Brexit and Farmers.

Last week the inaugural Henry Plumb Lecture took place at the Royal Society in London, during which Ivan Rogers, the former UK permanent representative to the European Union, spoke to farm leaders and other farming sector representatives about the negotiations and life after Brexit. To say that his words didn’t foster much optimism is theContinueContinue reading “”No deal would be a very bad deal indeed”: some words on Brexit and Farmers.”

Meeting Defra

Late night posts are never usually a good idea, but having just returned from an event down in mid Essex it seems right to pen my thoughts straight away, while it’s fresh in my head. This evening I went along to a Young Farmers Club event near Chelmsford, chaired by the ever inspiring Ed FordContinueContinue reading “Meeting Defra”

How crucial are direct payments for farmers?

In a recent policy document the NFU has suggested that continuing direct payments (at least in the short-term) in a new British Agricultural Policy will be crucial to help farm businesses deal with volatility. Before I read the report I must admit that I had become convinced that withdrawing as much support as possible isContinueContinue reading “How crucial are direct payments for farmers?”