During the meeting, discussions centred around issues relating to permitted development rights, planning, dry weather and water abstraction, reflecting the key pinch points affecting farmers today.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “Following our constructive telephone conversation last week, I was pleased to meet the Secretary of State in person to continue discussions on the key issues facing Britain’s farmers and growers.
“Our meeting reinforced a shared understanding of the challenges affecting the farming sector, including barriers to planning, permitted development rights and the impacts of the dry weather on members up and down the country.”
Unlocking water resilience
The NFU has repeatedly stressed the stark need for water resilience, evident now more than ever, and Tom highlighted one way that this could be addressed.
Tom said: “Sorting out planning and abstraction rights is one of the significant levers government could pull to build more resilient farming businesses.”
As hot weather forces farmers to start harvest early – prompting an NFU-led survey to measure its impact – and the latest National Drought Group update revealing the growing drought pressure, Tom stressed that the government needs to show that they are prioritising water as a critical national infrastructure for food production.
Time for delivery is now
Tom also touched on the Farming and Food Partnership Board.
Tom and Dame Angela already share in the ambition to harness the power of the Board to drive domestic food production – now they have both agreed that it is time for this Board to step up its delivery.
Brazilian beef imports
Tom also discussed the impact on our domestic market of the EU’s decision to ban products of animal origin from Brazil: “I took the opportunity to raise our significant concerns about the negative impacts on the domestic beef sector as a consequence of the EU banning imports of Brazilian beef from the beginning of September.”
The EU’s decision comes into effect from 3 September if Brazil fails to provide the necessary guarantees that products have not been treated with antibiotics critical for human health or for the purpose of growth promotion.
Defra is currently conducting an audit; this is an evolving story that the NFU will publish updates on at a future time.
Strong foundation
Tom said: “Dame Angela and I have built a positive and straight-talking relationship through her previous ministerial roles, and I welcome her commitment to working closely with the industry.”
The NFU has forged a strong relationship with the Defra Secretary since her arrival at Defra in 2025, where she first served as Farming Minister – a position she held from September 2025 to June 2026.
Dame Angela visited several farms across the UK with the NFU in her capacity as Farming Minister and attended NFU Conference 2026, speaking to our uplands farmers and featuring on the NFU Shed Talks Conference Special podcast.
Tom added: “We agreed that farmers and growers need practical action and timely delivery if we are to unlock growth and build resilience into our domestic food production system.”
NFU Deputy President speaks to Defra Minister about drought concerns
Alongside NFU President Tom Bradshaw meeting with Dame Angela Eagle, NFU Deputy President Paul Tompkins spoke with Defra Minister Emma Hardy MP (Lab, Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice) as part of a meeting with the National Drought Group. Paul raised how recent spells of hot, dry weather is having a severe impact on food production and the environment as the water supply is being affected.
During the meeting, Paul raised how increased coordination with water companies on resilience measures, particularly for vulnerable agricultural customers, will be vital now and into the future. He also urged Defra to support more investment in on-farm water storage.
Paul also raised how farmers badly need more flexibility in abstraction, to support growers access water.
Read more about the meeting and watch an update from Paul – NFU calls for urgent water resilience action to protect UK food production.
The most recent – and third – heatwave of the year saw temperatures rise above 30°C for 12 days in a row.
Alongside this, England’s three warmest springs have occurred in three consecutive years – 2024, 2025 and 2026.
In July, England has received just 3% of the long-term average rainfall, with the south and east of the country recording no rain at all, marking the longest dry spell since the mid-1990s.
Reservoir storage for England is currently at 78.8%, around 5% lower than long-term average.
Today (Wednesday 29 July) the Environment Agency has moved East Anglia, Devon and Cornwall, West Midlands, Wessex, part of the Thames (including London) and parts of Hampshire into drought status. Parts of Kent, East Midlands and both in the North West will move into Prolonged Dry Weather status.
The prolonged hot weather has brought harvest forward and there is an increased risk of combine and wildfire incidents. Read – Threat of wildfire on farm land requires urgent policy changes.
Vice-president meets with Defra Minister
NFU Vice-president Robyn Munt has also today (Wednesday 29 July) met with Parliamentary-under-Secretary of State Stephen Morgan MP (Lab, Portsmouth South) at the New Forest and Hampshire County Show.
Alongside your NFU officeholders engaging with Defra Ministers, since Andy Burnham became Prime Minister appointed a new Cabinet after becoming Prime Minister, the NFU has moved quickly to brief the other new Ministers on the priorities for the farming sector.
NFU Tom Bradshaw wrote to 9 new Cabinet Ministers, welcoming them to their departments, pledging to work with them and sharing what their departments can do to support a resilient, growing farming industry.
Read more about how important it is for the NFU to build political relationships early – NFU moves fast to brief new Cabinet on farming's priorities.
“Dame Angela and I have built a positive and straight-talking relationship through her previous ministerial roles, and I welcome her commitment to working closely with the industry.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
