Agriculture and Food Minister Jim Paice has set out how the new Task Force on Farming Regulation will work to reduce the bureaucratic burden that English farmers and food producers face. He also announced the Review will involve a team of nine - with the groups membership having a wide experience of farming and growing, retail, food processing, conservation, private and public sector management, and regulatory implementation and enforcement.
The Task Force has been asked to identify ways to reduce burden on farmers and food processors by reviewing regulations and their implementation. They will advise how best to achieve a risk-based system of enforcement whilst maintaining high environmental, welfare and safety standards.
Essentially their work will cover:
- farming (including horticulture);
- food issues as they apply on farm;
- food processing where farmer and processor interests overlap; and
- processing of farmed produce
The team has been urged to identify and make recommendations on:
- unnecessary measures, which might be revoked or, if EU-based, re-negotiated;
- alternative approaches that could reduce the burden of existing regulations - removing 'gold-plating'; and
- disproportionate or overly complex implementation and enforcement that could be made more simple, empathetic, risk-based and outcome driven.
The members of the group are as follows:
- Richard Macdonald (chairman) ex- NFU Director General
- Richard Percy, vice Chairman of NFU Mutual
- William Goodwin, Nuffield Scholar, animal welfare expert
- Heather Jenkins, Director of Buying, Waitrose
- Marion Regan, MD of Hugh Lowe Farms, founder member of Berry Gardens Growers (BGG)
- John Healy, Company Secretary of Warburtons
- Andy Robertson, Assistant Director of Policy for Transport and Environment at East Sussex County Council, ex NFU Scotland Chief Executive
- Judith Donovan, Board Director of HSE
- Steve Tapper, Senior Scientist and Director of Policy and Public Affairs at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust
The NFU has welcomed the review with President Peter Kendall saying "The announcement is just the commitment the industry needs. The coalition government is standing by its promise to review this area which will help ensure we have a competitive food and farming sector in the future.
"Richard Macdonald is well-placed to head this task force as he has a wealth of experience, solid leadership skills, as well as a unique knowledege of the farming and food industry".
No comments have been made.