NFU accuses Defra of failing to support PM on farming promises

The NFU has called on Defra to do more to honour farming and food security commitments made by Rishi Sunak prior to becoming prime minister.

NFU president Minette Batters said that Mr Sunak made some really important commitments during an NFU hustings in August last year and that she is absolutely determined to make sure Defra acts on what the prime minister promised.

See also: NFU urges government to accurately measure methane emissions

At a NFU Council meeting in Warwickshire on 27 June, Ms Batters said: “So much of the conversation we have had has linked from that point of setting a self-sufficiency target and a statutory reporting duty to make sure that we are maintaining it and in other areas, particular fruit and vegetables, that we are growing it.

“It is simply not acceptable that the now prime minister is not being fully supported by Defra in enacting what he laid out in August.”

The NFU president urged all members to push MPs to level up ambitions on the environment with food production.

“We want them to set that target and we want to see that annual reporting,” she added.

The union leader also called for impact assessments on the Environmental Land Management schemes.

“We have to have an impact assessment to see what land will be needed, to see what is required, and to see what it will cost,” said Mrs Batters.

The NFU is also concerned about the ability to retain parallel imports being lost, and says there is still no answer on seed treatments for maize plantings next year.