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Farming Road Map and Profitability Review
24 June 2026
Lead MP
Emma Reynolds
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Other Contributors: 40
At a Glance
Emma Reynolds raised concerns about farming road map and profitability review in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
With permission, I will make a statement on the Government’s farming road map, which has been published today. This is the first ever long-term plan for farming in the UK, aiming to provide farmers with clarity and confidence to make investment decisions over the next 25 years. The plan supports farming profitability and food security while setting out clear directions for a thriving future for agriculture. It includes our detailed response to Baroness Batters’ independent farming profitability review. Farmers produce over 65% of UK food, manage 70% of land, and support an agrifood sector worth £153 billion annually. The statement acknowledges farmers' dedication in feeding the nation and protecting natural environments while highlighting their resilience through various challenges.
Victoria Atkins
Con
Louth and Horncastle
Question
In her final act in this Department, will the Secretary of State please advise the right hon. Member for Makerfield that the first thing he must do is axe the family farm and family business taxes completely?
Victoria Atkins
Con
Louth and Horncastle
Question
The shadow Secretary questioned the Government’s record on rising food prices, farms closing, and budget cuts. She raised concerns about EU negotiations' impact and the lack of mention in the document regarding closing flag loopholes for genuine British food labelling. She also asked how UK farmers can compete against heavily subsidised EU farmers and what assurances are given to protect tenant and upland farmers.
Minister reply
The minister defended the Government's actions, highlighting that the SFI scheme will reopen next week with reforms recommended by Baroness Batters, including simplification and a minimum hectarage requirement. She emphasised working closely with stakeholders on sanitary and phytosanitary issues to reduce barriers for trade. Additionally, she noted plans to collaborate with farmers to tackle agricultural pollution.
Toby Perkins
Lab
Chesterfield
Question
The MP asked about ensuring the new iteration of the sustainable farming incentive is available for a wide range of farmers including family farms and not snaffled by major farm companies.
Minister reply
The minister responded that window 1 will open next week for small farms and those without existing agreements, with an agreement level capped at £100,000 to ensure smaller farms benefit from the SFI.
Tim Farron
Lib Dem
Westmorland and Lonsdale
Question
Welcomes the production of a long-term vision for farming but criticises England as being an outlier in Europe by not actively supporting farmers to produce food, highlights unfair changes to farmgate prices affecting dairy farmers, calls for stronger regulation against supermarkets and processors, questions the fairness of first-come-first-served application process for SFI, raises concerns about upland support, and asks about protecting tenant farmers from eviction.
Minister reply
Responds that food production is primary but also emphasises sustainable farming; announces efforts to strengthen Groceries Code Adjudicator, improve conditions for upland farmers, increase payment rates, and supports longer tenancies through the appointment of a Tenant Farming Sector Commissioner.
Daniel Zeichner
Lab
Cambridge
Question
Praises the work on the road map and profitability review, emphasises food security, highlights the importance of embracing new technologies and building facilities for poultry investment, improving animal welfare, biosecurity, and environmental outcomes.
Minister reply
Acknowledges Daniel Zeichner's previous work as Farming Minister; announces additional funding (£53 million) for farming innovation programme, discusses barriers to further poultry investment including planning issues.
Alistair Carmichael
Lib Dem
Orkney and Shetland
Question
Welcomes the publication of the road map, questions about the implementation of the Batters review and its separate document, inquires into the involvement of farmers’ unions from Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, asks for a target on agriculture's contribution to UK GDP.
Minister reply
Acknowledges acceptance of Baroness Batters' recommendations including the Farming and Food Partnership Board, sector growth plans, and trade missions; offers detailed answers when appearing before the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
Question
Raises concerns about farmers’ profitability challenges due to volatile global commodity prices and rock-bottom food prices; calls for public procurement targets to support local and higher environmental standard food production.
Minister reply
Responds on establishing a baseline of public sector contracts given to UK farmers, looking into enabling farming co-operatives access to these contracts.
Question
Asks for further details on the implementation period and terms of the UK-EU SPS agreement; requests relevant Minister's appearance before EFRA Committee.
Minister reply
Offers more detailed answers at a later date, mentions ongoing discussions with EU about implementation timelines, close engagement with National Farmers’ Union to ensure a smooth transition.
Question
Asks for reassurance on the resourcing of Natural England to support farmers during the challenging transition from legacy countryside stewardship and higher-level stewardship agreements.
Minister reply
Reassures about intention that those whose agreements expire this year will be able to apply in window 2 of SFI starting September; mentions technological changes needed to ensure smooth application process.
The Cotswolds
Question
He questioned the focus on profitability in a document that only mentions it twice, suggesting the Secretary of State should consider this more seriously.
Minister reply
She thanked him for his best wishes and assured him that profitability is at the heart of the road map. She highlighted a diagram on page 18 showing efforts towards a profitable, productive, sustainable and resilient farming sector.
Question
He welcomed the road map's focus on co-operatives to redress power imbalance in food systems but questioned if reforming the planning system would be key.
Minister reply
She agreed with him and is working closely with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on planning reforms.
Question
He asked how farmers are expected to increase food production if 9% of agricultural land is being taken out.
Minister reply
She stated that the intention is to ensure more productive and profitable farms alongside necessary land use changes for sustainability.
Question
She mentioned a 30% reduction in water availability for farms over the next two decades and suggested reviewing managed aquifer recharge trial.
Minister reply
She thanked her and looked forward to hearing more about the initiatives, acknowledging the need for better access to sources of water.
Question
She welcomed the farming road map but questioned its lack of ambition for food security. She asked if there would be a good food Bill.
Minister reply
She agreed on the need for focus on food production and resilience, mentioning work on fertiliser efficiency and introduction of nutrient management tool.
Question
He suggested focusing more on holistic contribution of farming to get better policy.
Minister reply
She agreed that the agrifood sector is a huge part of the economy, employing 4.1 million people and contributing significantly in GVA.
Geoffrey Cox
Con
Torridge and West Devon
Question
He asked if food security would be made a national strategic priority.
Minister reply
She reminded him of the shift away from basic payments to environmental land management schemes under previous administrations.
Question
She inquired about support for farmers buying UK-made equipment instead of relying on imports.
Minister reply
She thanked her and mentioned capital grants to help procure such equipment.
Question
He asked what engagement the Government had with devolved Governments to ensure support for all UK farmers.
Minister reply
She mentioned visits and meetings with Northern Ireland stakeholders, highlighting close relationships with all devolved Administrations.
Jim McMahon
Lab
Oldham West and Royton
Question
He welcomed the focus on food security and asked about support for farmers to farm without complex systems.
Minister reply
She agreed on simplifying regulatory burdens. She also mentioned references in the road map to co-operatives' role.
Simon Hoare
Con
North Dorset
Question
He asked what support and enhancements for livestock farming and agritech investment would be provided.
Minister reply
She thanked him, highlighted focus on innovation and reducing input costs to maximise profits. She also mentioned challenges like extreme weather and volatile markets.
Question
We welcome the focus in the road map on fertiliser resilience and getting away from volatile global fertiliser markets. North Yorkshire is home to the world’s only supply of polyhalite, a highly effective low-carbon fertiliser. Will Ministers look seriously at this in order to scale up our sovereign supply and back British fertiliser?
Minister reply
We will, and I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this issue to the House. We need to be less reliant on imported fertiliser, and sustainable low-carbon fertiliser is to be welcomed. I look forward to working with him on that.
Question
What steps is the Secretary of State taking now to help farmers manage the impact of this extreme heatwave on food production and prices for consumers in Yeovil? What steps are we taking in the long term to be more ready for such weather?
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman is right to raise that question. This week’s weather brings into sharp relief the Climate Change Committee’s report from a couple of weeks ago on the risks of extreme weather—not just higher temperatures but more flooding. As Secretary of State, I am in charge of not only farming but climate adaptation. We are looking at what more we need to do in response to that report and ahead of the national programme that we need to bring forward in 2028.
Matt Rodda
Lab
Reading East
Question
Will the Secretary of State provide more detail on the innovation fund, particularly on how it will support increased profitability while, at the same time, driving reductions in the emission of carbon dioxide, methane and other dangerous, climate-damaging gases?
Minister reply
We have announced additional funding for the farming innovation programme, bringing total innovation funding to £123 million. This is to back practical technology, including robotics, soil health and water management. It is about the shift to sustainable farming practices.
Andrew Murrison
Con
South West Wiltshire
Question
Wiltshire farmers listened to Ministers at the Oxford farming conference and heard the Government’s pledge to support farmers during difficult harvests and supply shocks. They now find that they are in the middle of a supply shock, with many considering whether to plant their fields right now because of the price of fertiliser, about a third of which comes through the strait of Hormuz. If the pledge was more than rhetorical, is the Secretary of State able to say what practical measures the Government will be executing right now to assist the people I have just described?
Minister reply
We are cutting red diesel duty by a third, bringing it to the lowest level in more than 20 years. We are also doing all that we can to help farmers move away from such high use of fertilisers to more efficient use, along with a longer-term plan to change fertilisers so that British farming can make use of more innovative practices.
Question
I thank the Secretary of State for the excellent farming road map that she has laid out. I am really glad to see that supply chain fairness is at front and centre of the new road map, and I welcome the moving of the Groceries Code Adjudicator from the Department for Business and Trade to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as this will make things more joined up. Farmers in Monmouthshire have raised with me so many times the issue of unfair practices; in fact, five dairy farms there—yes, five—have recently had their milk contracts cancelled. Does the Secretary of State agree that processors and supermarkets have far too much power, and that that power imbalance must be remedied?
Minister reply
I do agree that we have to get much fairer contracts, which is why we are extending the fair dealing regulations that already cover dairy and pig farmers to other sectors. As she said, we are also transferring the Groceries Code Adjudicator from DBT to DEFRA to make sure that there is a more joined-up grip on food chain fairness.
Question
On-farm reservoirs can really help to reduce flooding and the need for water extraction, yet the Minister for Housing and Planning was rather dismissive of this during the passage of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Will the Secretary of State commit to taking steps to review permitted development rights, and can she give us some timescales?
Minister reply
We are considering the responses to our consultation on that issue, but I am working with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure that we make it easier for farmers to establish on-farm reservoirs in order to give them more resilience.
Question
I really welcome the ambition of the road map, particularly the focus on buying British and the nod to honest food labelling. We must now make that ambition real and focus steadfastly on the drivers of farm profitability, so that farmers are making more money from their core business of farming by the end of this Parliament than they were when it started. In that spirit, the Labour rural research group continues our calls for honest origin labelling for food. I hope the Secretary of State will back those calls and commit, as did her predecessor, to meeting the LRRG to discuss this issue further.
Minister reply
I am always happy to meet my hon. Friend and the Labour rural research group. The word “profitability” is mentioned in the road map 17 times, the word “profitable” is mentioned 27 times and “profit” is mentioned 52 times.
Question
South Shropshire farmers wanted to see an action plan that prioritised food production. The road map does not do that, and it will not happen unless the Government decide to do all food procurement through supply chains that prioritise South Shropshire farmers and other farmers around the country. Will the Secretary of State commit to prioritising British farmers in the Government procurement process?
Minister reply
We want to see more British food in our institutions. We are establishing a baseline to see what percentage of public sector contracts are going to British producers.
Question
Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker. The farming road map that we have seen today sets out a long-term plan for fertiliser. That will be really welcome for farmers across Lichfield, Burntwood and the villages because, due to actions way beyond this Government’s control in the strait of Hormuz, we are seeing real cost pressures. Can the Secretary of State give us an idea of when that long-term plan might be ready, and whether it will consider strategic reserves and diversifying the sources of fertiliser? Can she tell us what that will do to ensure that we have the fertiliser we need?
Minister reply
We are consulting on longer-term plans to change fertiliser rules so that we can diversify the sorts of fertilisers that farmers can use. We are also looking to see how we can ensure that fertiliser markets function more fairly.
Desmond Swayne
Con
New Forest West
Question
When can we expect a resolution to the problems that are preventing payments in respect of commoning?
Minister reply
I did not catch that last word.
Question
I very much welcome the fact that this farming road map recognises the importance of upland farmers like mine in High Peak. Will the Secretary of State set out what support will be put in place to support my farmers, and will she meet me to discuss access to the SFI for those farming on common land?
Minister reply
We have increased payment rates for upland farmers, and we are also looking at how we can make it easier for them to access schemes.
Question
Every farmer I speak to is angry and, at times, desperate. None of them thinks that anything has got any better over the last two years. Everyone thinks things are worse—whether it is the taxes, the grants or the allocation of non-farming lands. Members do not need to take my word for it: a recent poll showed that 0% of farmers would now vote for the Labour party. Has the Secretary of State genuinely reflected on why that may be the case?
Minister reply
I have spent every minute of every day since I have been appointed rebuilding the relationship with farmers. We are in a much better place.
Question
The Secretary of State says we need “better market access, so that British food can reach more customers at home and abroad”, but we know that they continue to face unnecessary trade barriers. It is a shame that the UK-EU summit is now being reorganised due to the Prime Minister’s resignation. Farmers and food producers are relying on this SPS agreement to reduce costs and bureaucracy, so can the Secretary of State commit that the summit will take place this year and give us a timeframe for when that will happen?
Minister reply
I do want to see the summit take place. We agree that it is really important to reduce the costs and the bureaucracy left by the last Government.
Question
Farmers have been innovating since the dawn of time, and they really do not need a word salad document to tell them that it might be a good idea. I have listened carefully to the Secretary of State’s answers on fertiliser, both in terms of the current price shock and the impending additional shock, made by this Government, of carbon taxes on fertiliser. Surely, while there is lofty ambition for long-term innovation, there needs to be a direct answer and relief now on the shock that is going to come in January.
Minister reply
If the hon. Gentleman looks at fertiliser prices, he will see that they have levelled off.
Question
If the Government really believe that food security is national security, that must mean shortening supply chains and increasing local food production. The Secretary of State referred earlier to field to fork, but what new concrete steps will be taken under this plan to increase the proportion of food eaten in the UK that was grown here?
Minister reply
In response to Baroness Batters’ independent farming profitability review, we have already established the Farming and Food Partnership Board, and are already working on sector growth plans for horticulture and poultry. In horticulture in particular, we have seen a reduction in the amount of domestic-grown fruit and veg that we consume in England. We are working out what more we can do to boost the production of horticulture and, indeed, poultry.
John Lamont
Con
Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
Question
I was at the Royal Highland Show last week and farmers from across the UK were in their usual high spirits, but there is a real concern about the profitability and the future of farming. The SPS agreement, the price of fuel, red tape, the family farm tax and fertiliser are all big concerns. What specifically are the Government doing to address those concerns?
Minister reply
I thank the hon. Gentleman for what he said about the show. I was not able to attend, but it is good that he and other Members were there. We are addressing all those different issues. On the SPS deal, as I said to the hon. Member for South Devon (Caroline Voaden), we are very aware of the concerns of the NFU and, indeed, the farmers’ union in Scotland. I engaged with them only last month. We cannot give a running commentary, but I do want to see a smooth transition so that farmers are ready for that change.
Question
The Great South West pan-regional partnership produced an agrifood growth plan which I commend to the Secretary of State. It was launched by Baroness Batters back in February. The south-west region accounts for one third of England’s dairy farms and makes an outsized contribution to the UK food system. How will the Government’s farming road map affect farmers in the south-west in particular?
Minister reply
The farming road map is a plan for the whole of England. Obviously, each different sector of farming faces different challenges. I was glad to visit a dairy farm in my own constituency on Open Farm day—Lacey’s farm. I thank Will Lacey for showing me and my two young boys around. The road map is about helping farmers across England, including in the south-west.
Question
While I welcome the farming road map, farmers in Somerset will be sceptical that this Government will deliver for them given their imposition of the family farm and family business taxes, which have undermined confidence and reduced investment in the rural economy. The Government closed the last SFI without notice, causing chaos for farmers. Will the Secretary of State undertake now not to do that again?
Minister reply
I thank the hon. Member for welcoming the road map. We have certainly learned a lot of lessons from what happened last summer, and I would absolutely like to see no sudden stops to the system. We are learning the lessons, but also with the capital grants programme, we ensured that there were not the same issues. I cannot always predict the future, but I would like that to be the case.
Shadow Comment
Victoria Atkins
Shadow Comment
I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of her statement, expressing sincere thanks to Baroness Batters for her thorough report. The shadow criticises the Government’s delay in producing this document, noting that their first act was imposing a death tax on family farms and businesses. She highlights rising food prices and farm closures under the current administration, accusing them of breaking farmers' trust. Despite acknowledging DEFRA as an economic Department vital to farming and food producers’ contributions to the economy, she questions how UK farmers will compete with heavily subsidised EU farmers post-Brexit negotiations. The shadow also raises concerns about funding cuts and bureaucracy impacting farmers' survival.
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