Brexit and new Domestic Agricultural Policy
The crops focus will be on market access and the need to compete, on a fair basis, on world markets. Our main concern will be access to technology that can deliver competitive cost of production, while ensuring unnecessary regulation does not burden growers with additional costs. Mechanisms that reward environmental work, buffer markets and climate volatility must be simple to implement, effective and reactive for producers.
Crop protection
We have engaged with members, legislators, regulators, the supply chain and European organisations through our #glyphosateisvital and #saveourseedtreatments campaigns, demonstrating the value of glyphosate and neonicotinoids seed treatments on winter cereals to farmers, shoppers and the environment. In 2018 we will continue our work and fight to ensure NFU members have access to the key crop protection products and techniques they need to be competitive. We will continue our engagement with regulators in the development of a new, UK, pesticide regulatory scheme post Brexit.
Contaminants
The NFU has facilitated cooperation between oilseed crushers and farmers, where farmers were experiencing penalties for erucic acid contamination in oilseed rape. Initial claims ranged from £20 per tonne to total rejection: a potential loss to members in excess of £350 per tonne. NFU action has helped to minimise contamination, mitigate the damage and future risk and, by working with the supply chain, this has resulted in lower claims subsequently charged to farmers. We will continue our work in Brussels for a risk-based review of any legislative changes to current erucic acid standards.
Future work
In the next year, the NFU Combinable Crops Board will continue to focus on areas that we believe can make a real difference to members’ profit margins. We will continue our work for more competition in the fertiliser market, ensuring market access for UK crops in EU biofuel markets and other alternative uses. We will also increase our engagement and work with the supply chain to ensure you, our members, are getting a fair deal.