Legislation

The UK’s internal market will not be distorted if Scottish farmers keep their direct payments after Brexit, Defra Secretary George Eustice has said.

European and UK legislation on deforestation is a ‘huge opportunity’ for Brazilian agriculture with the industry confident it can increase production and efficiency without damage to the Amazon.

If the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that the safe, reliable supply of sustainable food is important to the public. Welsh Government would be wise to recognise food production as a public good, says NFU Cymru president John Davies.

Food defence ought to be number one on the Government’s priority list during this pandemic, but the new Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution does not even include agri-food, says Tim Lang, professor of food policy at City, University of London.

There is no comparison to the UK’s food system in 2020 and the 1800s Corn Laws, and free traders are doing us all a disservice by denying this fact, says arable farmer and NFU Sugar Board member Tom Clarke.

Farm groups have welcomed the ‘positive’ news that new TB incidents across Wales have dropped by 10 per cent in the 12 months to August 2020.

Welsh vets responsible for TB testing face being moved to ports such as Holyhead to deal with Brexit issues after January 1, presenting major concerns for animal health.

Scottish farmers look set to keep some form of direct payment beyond 2024, after Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing mounted a passionate defence of income support at the virtual AgriScot conference.

A Financial Times Global Food Systems Summit heard how changes to agricultural policy will disrupt the status quo and an MP admitted she was wrong to call for a meat tax to curb red meat consumption. Abi Kay reports.

Ministers have finally given Parliament more power to scrutinise trade deals, but the Parliament which will be scrutinising is the same Tory-majority one which has voted time and again not to protect our standards. I am not popping the champagne cork just yet, says Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron.