Brexit and Covid-19 created a policy environment of last-minute or late decision-making and frequent changes of direction, much of it by necessity.
That has had seismic implications for businesses.
This NFU Conference panel session looked at whether farmers should now expect a return to more long-term planning, or whether uncertainty is the 鈥榥ew normal鈥�.
"Where is the plan for a proper buy British campaign when trade deals are being struck that actively undermine British producer interests?"
Shadow Defra Secretary Jim McMahon
Disruptive influences and political planning
Shadow Defra Secretary Jim McMahon said energy inflation, a cost-of-living crisis that was 鈥榣ikely to get worse before it gets better鈥�, and a once in a generation shake-up of farm support should be added to a tally of disruptive influences.
His message was that uncertainty would not end without a comprehensive, cross-department plan for farming.
鈥淲here is the plan to address the 拢2.4 billion of lost exports in the first three-quarters of last year?鈥� he said. 鈥淲here is the plan to put labour on the field and to bring across the butchers that we need? Where is the plan for a proper buy British campaign when trade deals are being struck that actively undermine British producer interests? What is the government doing to manage the costs of inflation that you are seeing?鈥�
He called for government to tap the 拢2 billion 鈥榩ower of procurement鈥� to benefit British farmers.
And while Labour 鈥榮trongly believed鈥� that ELMs could be made to work, Mr McMahon said he did not believe trying to get the reform done from the same pot of money as before was viable. 鈥淭here is too much demand on that pot,鈥� he said.
At the same time as farmers were raising significant fears for the future, he noted that city-based investment firms were 鈥渂uying up family farms to plant non-native trees鈥�. He questioned the level of strategic overview that allowed that to happen.
View from the farm
LBC Radio presenter and Essex family farm owner Iain Dale said plans were all well and good, but said too many had been created by 鈥渃ivil servants who don鈥檛 have a clue鈥�. 鈥淚s uncertainty the new normal for business? Well, when hasn鈥檛 it been?鈥� he said.
While not a panacea, he said Brexit would yet provide real opportunities. These had been 鈥榯hrown off course鈥� by the pandemic, but would be capitalised on by resilient British farmers, especially when they could point to an 88% approval rating from the British public.
鈥淲hat a great place to start from,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f you provide a few solutions to government, you ought to be knocking at an open door.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 always been uncertainty, it鈥檚 inevitable, but the resilience you have shown is amazing. When the world stopped, doctors and farmers did not.鈥�
Podcaster and former adviser to the Prime Minister, Jimmy McLoughlin
Opportunities
鈥淭here鈥檚 no doubt we are in a grand realignment moment,鈥� said podcaster and former adviser to the PM, Jimmy McLoughlin.
鈥淏ut there鈥檚 a danger that what happens is that the moment passes and ends up being a confirmation for everyone of what they thought before.鈥�
Instead, he urged farmers to turn the page, to translate their passion into social media campaigning, to be open to new ideas, alert to trends and to create new opportunities with 鈥渢he fantastic stories you have to tell鈥�.
鈥淐onsumers are ever more aware about where they get their stuff and that is a great opportunity,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 always been uncertainty, it鈥檚 inevitable, but the resilience you have shown is amazing. When the world stopped, doctors and farmers did not.鈥�
Regulation
Food Standards Agency chair Professor Susan Jebb said regulators had a part to play in 鈥榚xtraordinary times鈥�.
鈥淔armers are better at dealing with uncertainty than any other people and we need to learn from you,鈥� she said.
Like farmers, she said the agency needed to focus on its core job, in its case making sure food is what is says it is and that it is safe, despite 鈥渆verybody asking us to do 101 other things鈥�.
She said the FSA would become more forward looking, improve surveillance to address problems before they become crises and show agility to support innovation.
鈥淎 strong FSA is good for farmers,鈥� she said, adding that belief in the efficacy of the FSA underpinned consumer trust, which put British food on a sound footing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 even more reason to work together. We need to work with common purpose for the high food standards producers and consumers are proud of.鈥�