Against the backdrop of members' concerns regarding the recent Budget announcements, the Board called on the Minister to remove barriers to growth and profitability within the sector, including support to grow protein crops and intervention on supply chain fairness.
Sustainable protein ambition
Following extensive analysis, the Crops Board called on the government to provide support which would de-risk and incentivise the uptake of protein crops within arable rotations.
Speaking after the meeting, NFU Combinable Crops Board chair Jamie Burrows said: “There is a growing demand for sustainable protein within UK agriculture, and the government has the opportunity to enhance our food security by ensuring that more of these crops are grown domestically.”
The Board said that a greater area of protein crops, turning the tide on a crop which is currently falling out of favourability, would help reduce the reliance on unsustainable imported feedstocks.
“As well as overcoming the barriers, we look forward to continuing our engagement with the government as we seek to drive this sector forward.”
NFU Combinable Crops Board chair Jamie Burrows
This would also deliver improvements to soil health, supporting the wider uptake of IPM practices, reducing reliance on PPPs and generating an abundance of flowering crop area, all in line with broader government ambitions.
Supply chain fairness
The Board explained that a key impact on profitability and investment is a lack of fairness and transparency within the supply chain. It damaged confidence, Jamie Burrows said, and undermined the sector’s ambition for growth.
“Under the powers of the Agriculture Act, the previous government committed to conducting supply chain fairness reviews into all of the sectors within UK agriculture. While some of these reviews have already been completed, the Board took the opportunity to highlight the need for the combinable crops sector to be part of the new government’s plans,” Jamie added.
Board members shared their personal experiences with Minister Zeichner, including being unable to challenge merchants when they have made claims against grain which has been delivered and feeling powerless when independent tests are offered using samples that have not been taken by the farmer.
They also shared their frustration at the double standards that operate within the supply chain, for example, where seed can be delivered on farm with up to 3,000 pieces of ergot in a half tonne seed bag, yet the resulting harvested grain will only be accepted back into the supply chain under a zero tolerance.
“We had a constructive discussion,” NFU Combinable Crops Board chair Jamie Burrows said. “And I believe the Minister will have a better understanding of our issues and ambitions. As well as overcoming the barriers, we look forward to continuing our engagement with the government as we seek to drive this sector forward.”
