The session was deliberately wide-ranging to encompass a diverse range of topics at the forefront of members鈥� thinking.
Before introducing the speakers, NFU Chief Crops Adviser Dr Anthony Hopkins outlined recent promising regulatory developments on the continuing use of urea and organic manures.
鈥淭he fight isn鈥檛 over, but we will be working hard,鈥� he pledged.
Opportunities for development
The first speaker was Dr Jonathan Halstead, Head North West Europe & Managing Director at Syngenta UK.
Dr Halstead began by looking at plant protection products (PPP) regulation and plant breeding, both of which are central to Syngenta鈥檚 business.
The challenges here mostly stem from questions of UK policy and regulation stemming from Brexit, especially in relation to PPPs.
However, there are opportunities to develop regulation which provide all the protections we need that better suit the needs of our farmers, shown by the Precision Breeding Bill currently progressing through Parliament.