The government has announced its plans for new policies that it expects will make farming more profitable.

The new policies include:

  • Seasonal Worker visa route to be extended for another 5 years.
  • New requirements for government catering contracts that aim for at least 50% of food supplied coming from British producers or those certified to higher environmental standards.
  • Funding for technology investment.
  • Protecting farmers in future trade deals.
  • Setting up a new National Biosecurity Centre that will upgrade the Animal and Plant Health Agency animal health facility at Weybridge and help to improve resilience against animal disease.

Steve Reed, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: “The underlying problem is that farmers do not make enough money for the hard work and commitment they put in.” He went on to say that his focus “is on ensuring farming becomes more profitable.”

The announcement is positive news for farmers, and we look forward to seeing whether this translates to an uplift in profitability for our farmers!

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-announces-raft-of-new-policies-and-major-investment-to-boost-profits-for-farmers