Don’t miss your chance to have a say in the future of UK food and farming!

Whatever your opinion on Brexit, the current opportunity to feed into the future of food farming should not be missed! The Defra consultation paper, ‘Health and Harmony: The Future for Food, Farming and the Environment in a Green Brexit’ was released in February – make sure you share your ideas and opinions before the deadline on 8th May.

The consultation paper outlines the proposed way forward for an Agricultural policy post 2020 and asks direct questions for feedback. The consultation portal invites participants to respond on key questions relating to the main headings within the consultation document:

1. Reform within the CAP
2. An ‘agricultural transition’
3. A successful future for farming: Implementing our new agricultural policy. (Farming excellence; Agricultural technology and research; Labour; Skilled workforce; Public money for public goods)
4. Enhancing our environment
5. Fulfilling our responsibility to animals
6. Supporting rural communities and remote farming
7. Changing regulatory culture
8. Risk management and resilience
9.  Protecting crop, tree, plant and bee health
10. Ensuring fairness in the supply chain
11. Devolution: maintaining cohesion and flexibility
12. International trade
13. Legislation: the Agriculture Bill

You can also respond to the consultation directly by email to agricultureconsultation@defra.gsi.gov.uk. We have heard rumours that these will be analysed using algorithms that pick up on key words – so we suggest you chose your words carefully to bring in key concepts and practices such as ‘biodiversity’, ‘integrated pest management’ and ‘soil health’.

Here at Agricology we will be pulling together a response to provide a voice for the Agricology community of farmers, researchers and advisors. Please feed in by sharing your thoughts and ideas by commenting the in section below or on twitter and facebook @agricology or by email katie.bliss@agricology.co.uk. We will share our initial draft with you all for comments on 26th April.

There are also a number of consultation events being held around the country in the coming weeks. Find one near you:

• Cambridge, Monday 9 April
• Easton and Otley College, Norfolk Tuesday 10 April
• Manchester, Monday 16 April
• Calke Abbey, Derbyshire Thursday 19 April’
• The Orchards Event Centre, West Malling, Kent Monday 23 April
• Sheepdrove, West Berkshire Monday 23 April
• Harper Adams, Shropshire Tuesday 24 April
• Central London, Thursday 26 April
• Eden Project, Cornwall Friday 27 April

These events are being organised by DEFRA in collaboration with a number of organisations including the Soil Association, Friends of the Earth and the NFU.

This is a golden opportunity to build the kind of food and farming systems we need for a prosperous and sustainable future. Make sure you take the time to have your say!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead

Associated Agricology Partner Organisation(s):