Rishi Sunak – 2024 Speech to the NFU Annual Conference

The speech made by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, on 20 February 2024.

I know, Minette, this is your last conference as NFU President – so I actually wanted to start by first paying a brief tribute to you.

During a momentous period, you’ve been a formidable champion of our farmers – always fair, always thoughtful, and always forceful. If you asked some of my ministers down they’d probably say very forceful.

But I know everyone will want to join me in once again paying a special tribute and a thanks to Minette for everything she’s done.

Nine years ago, I gave my maiden speech in the House of Commons.

I pledged that day to be a champion of agriculture, the countryside and all of my hard-working rural constituents.

It’s farmers who feed us.

Farmers who embody those British values of strength, resilience, warmth and independence.

I see that in North Yorkshire – and across the country – week in and week out.

I’ve been to the auction marts.

I’ve walked the fields up and down Swaledale and Wensleydale.

Enjoyed our high-quality British meat – which let me tell you we’ll continue supporting people to eat.

I’ve visited upland farms, hill farms, arable and livestock farms.

I even tried my hand at milking once – not very successfully I must say.

But I see first hand the long hours that you work, the weather that you contend with, the family businesses you support, the communities you build…

…the beautiful countryside, the pastures, the hedgerows, the fields, that would not be the same without you.

You do it not for praise, or high reward…

…but to put food on our tables…

…to maintain a tradition and a way of life…

… and to steward our landscape.

It’s part of who we are.

And we don’t celebrate you enough.

And so, on behalf of the nation, I just wanted to say: thank you.

Biggest change in a generation

Now while the importance of farmers will never change – farming is going through its biggest change in a generation.

And as you do so, this government will be by your side.

You’ve been dealing with soaring global prices in things like fuel and fertiliser.

So we’ve been working hard to get inflation down – from 11% last year to 4% now.

And we’re increasing payments in our farming schemes by an average of 10 per cent.

You’re dealing with climate change and extreme weather too.

Devastating flooding has damaged crops…

…delayed planting…

… and has taken a huge toll on our farming communities.

That’s why we quickly set out our flooding support…

… and why we’re going faster than almost anyone else in the world to tackle climate change, even as we reduce the burdens on families.

You’re also at the forefront of innovation – from gene editing to boost resilience to disease, to automation to harvest crops.

And while thanks to you we enjoy good quality food all year round…

… global events – including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine – have put food security back at the top of the agenda.

We’ll never take our food security for granted.

We’ve got a plan to support British farming – and we’re going further again, today, in three specific areas.

First, we’re investing in farming.

We promised that across this parliament, every penny of the £2.4 billion annual farming budget would be spent on you.

And we will absolutely meet that promise.

I know that the transition from the Common Agricultural Policy has been frustrating.

It’s taken time.

And I appreciate the perception that we didn’t always get the balance exactly right.

But I still believe the vision is the right one.

CAP disproportionately rewarded the largest landowners and held back smaller farmers.

It did little for food productivity or the environment.

It was far, far too bureaucratic.

Just remember – we used to argue about whether a cauliflower and a cabbage were the same crop…

… and you could be fined thousands for a gateway being too wide, or a buffer strip too narrow.

So it’s right that our new system invests in the foundations of food security – from healthy soils to clean water.

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And today we want to go further to support you.

So we’re announcing new steps to make our support schemes more generous and easier to use.

Take the Management Payment.

It’s working, with many farmers – small farmers especially – signing up.

So I can announce today that we’re going to double that payment to £2,000…

… with thousands of farmers receiving that money this Spring.

We’re also launching the biggest ever package of grants this year…

… to boost productivity and resilience, which will total £220 million.

Increasing the Improving Farming Productivity scheme to invest in things like robotics and barn-top solar.

We’re opening a new round of the Farming Equipment and Technology fund too, worth £70m.

Second, as farming changes, how we work with you in government must change too.

The services we provide must be shaped around your needs.

And we’ve got to build a culture that’s based on trust.

As President Eisenhower said: “You know, farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you’re a thousand miles from a corn field.”

So we’re changing the culture.

That means trust, support, co-operation…

It means delivering on our promise to cut planning red tape that’s stopping you from diversifying.

In April, for instance, we’ll lay legislation so you can create bigger farm shops or outdoor sports venues.

And it means more funding for grassroots mental health support…

…because we know what a tough job farming is.

Thirdly, we’re strengthening support for your primary role…

…to produce the nation’s food.

Food security is a vital part of our national security.

And recent years have brought home the truth of that.

Putin set off not just an energy price bomb…

…but a food price bomb, too.

And as Minette has so powerfully reminded us time after time…

…in an age of climate change and instability…

…global food production will become increasingly volatile…

…so it’s important to strengthen food security here at home.

Our Agriculture Act introduced a three-yearly report to monitor food security.

But given how much has happened in the last three years, it’s clear that we need to go further.

So today, I can announce we’ll step up our monitoring with a new annual Food Security Index, which we expect to be UK-wide.

And yes Minette, we’ll make this statutory when parliamentary time allows.

We’ll publish the first draft at the Farm to Fork Summit this spring.

And I’m also delighted to say those Summits will become an annual event.

One way to improve food security is to stop millions of tonnes of good, fresh farm food from going to waste…

… just because of its shape or size.

So we’ll also provide funding today, £15m, to redirect that surplus into the hands of those who need it.

Conclusion

So in conclusion, supporting farmers, changing our approach, and strengthening food security – that’s our plan.

And you can trust us to deliver – because… we already are.

You said you wanted a fair price for your products…

…tomorrow we’re laying new regulations for the dairy sector, and we’re launching a review of the poultry sector.

You asked for fair treatment in our trade deals…

…so we’re standing up for our farmers in those negotiations – whether it’s with Canada or anybody else.

You asked for a fairer, more supportive regulatory system…

… and we’ve reformed our approach, cutting penalties for minor issues, already down by 40%.

But more than this, you can trust us because I know how important my neighbours, our farmers, all of you, truly are.

You help support millions of jobs…

…add billions to our economy…

… shape the landscape…

… but most of all, you produce the food we need –

…food that is some of the best and highest quality anywhere in the world.

And that’s why I say to all of you and to Britain’s farmers…

… just as I did in my first days in Parliament:

I’ve got your back.

Thank you very much.