Within a day of PM Andy Burnham's new Cabinet being announced, NFU President Tom Bradshaw had written to 9 ministers and spoken to the new Defra Secretary of State.
Even before the Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP (Lab, Makerfield) became Prime Minister on Monday 20 July, the NFU has been busy representing NFU members, publishing our 5-point plan, designed to show the new Prime Minister the immediate steps he and his team can take to ensure the UK has a resilient and affordable food system.
The NFU has long argued that a profitable farming sector will require a cross-government strategy, with efforts and supportive policies from departments right across Whitehall. This is why Andy Burnham becoming Prime Minister and appointing a new Cabinet (with almost every Cabinet Minister changing) has offered a significant opportunity.
9 Ministers – one message
The morning after the new members of the Cabinet were appointed, NFU President Tom Bradshaw had already written to 9 new Cabinet Ministers, welcoming them to their department, pledging to work with them and sharing what them and their departments can do to support British farmers and growers.
This includes writing to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Louise Haigh MP (Lab, Sheffield Heeley) and the Secretary of State for Department of Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds MP (Lab, Stalybridge and Hyde) as both of their departments are playing a key role in ongoing UK-EU SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) agreement negotiations, which the NFU is busy representing its members interests throughout.
Other letters included writing to the new Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, raising the skyrocketing standing charges which are having such a punitive effect on farming businesses, and writing to the new Chancellor of the Exchequer, John Healey MP (Lab, Rawmarsh and Crowborough) on what tax policies will support a farming industry that will provide economic growth for the whole country.
The NFU will always look to represent our members to all government departments, even those which less directly impact farming. For example, Tom has also written to the Secretary of State for Education, Lucy Powell MP (Lab, Manchester Central) to raise the importance of schools teaching children and young people about how to adopt healthy, balanced diets, and how the education system in Britain can help provide the farming industry with a stream of young, talented people for its future.
Our direct line to the Secretary of State
On her first day of becoming Defra Secretary of State, NFU President Tom Bradshaw had spoken to Dame Angela Eagle MP.
During the phone call, Tom highlighted the key challenges facing farmers and growers, including water availability, planning barriers and the need to accelerate progress through the Farming and Food Partnership Board. While vital that the NFU engages with the new Defra Secretary of State, engagement with other departments is also very important.
Of course, this is just the beginning: this initial engagement will form just a small part of how the NFU will engage with the most important political players on behalf of NFU members and their farming businesses.
