Politics News

Speakers at the 2023 Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) opening plenary reflected on the political and economic turmoil of the last few years and spoke of the changes that need to happen to secure the future of food and farming.

As is tradition, NFU President Minette Batters has issued a New Year message to the farming community, reflecting on the unprecedented challenges faced by food producers over the past year as well as the successes that have been achieved.

From March 2022, Dr Richard Irvine will join the Welsh government as the new chief veterinary officer.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) continues to be frustrated in the lack of government commitment to UK agriculture and food security, along with the poor recognition that agriculture is the key to tackling climate change, and could, with the right incentives do far more.

NFU Scotland has declared that “Farming and food production must be viewed as critical industries when the UK Government announces its review of the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, expected before Christmas.”

The Government has re-appointed Nicholas Saphir as chair of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) for one year, with effect from 1 April 2023.

Government faces a stark choice: back British food production in order to secure a home-grown supply of sustainable food or risk seeing more empty shelves in the nation’s supermarkets, the NFU warned today.

Financial advice firm NFU Mutual outlines what to look out for in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s upcoming Autumn Budget Statement on 17th November and how the changes could affect the public purse.

Upcoming regulatory changes could see a large amount of British meat exports heading to the EU become non-compliant overnight, which will have a detrimental effect on farmers, processors and the economy alike, the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) has warned.

As the farming sector calls for much needed clarity on ELMS, and Rishi Sunak takes the helm in No 10, Ms Coffey has been appointed environment secretary – the third MP to hold the post this year.

As Rishi Sunak takes the reins as PM and begins a cabinet reshuffle, several MPs have stepped aside, including Ranil Jayawardena, who has been in the role for less than two months.

Liz Truss’s resignation yesterday (20th October) after just 45 days as PM has caused further turmoil for industries across the country, said National Sheep Association chief executive Phil Stocker.