I am absolutely delighted to be back in Birmingham for our first 鈥榠n person鈥� conference following almost two years blighted by Covid-19. Little did any of us realise in February 2020 what a gruelling experience the country was about to enter and my heart goes out to those who have lost family and friends.
I want to thank all 47,500 members for your massive collective effort to keep supplying great British food to the nation. Do we really need a better lesson on the importance of food and farming?聽
Yet while farming has proven its value in times of need, we face significant headwinds: the uncertainties of new trade agreements, new agricultural policies replacing the CAP, and our economy and labour markets struggling to throw off the impact of Covid-19 disruption.
While commodity prices have improved, margins have rapidly eroded with a return of unprecedented input inflation, especially in fertiliser and energy. And there is little chance of cost recovery with the retail food price war continuing unabated.
That is why our conference faces into these headwinds under the theme 'Blueprint for the future'. Even in times of doubt, we need a plan.
Day 1
We open this year's conference with a slight change. Our first morning keynote comes from Sir David Ramsden, Deputy Governor at the Bank of England. It will be important to hear predictions for growth, interest rates and inflation in the coming years. At this pivotal time for British farming, the UK economy鈥檚 health becomes more relevant.
Following this will be a panel session on managing uncertainty. We鈥檒l hear from Jim McMahon, Labour鈥檚 Shadow Secretary of State; LBC鈥檚 business broadcaster, Iain Dale; Jimmy McLoughlin, former Special Adviser to the Prime Minister; and Professor Susan Webb, Chair of the Food Standards Agency.
Our first afternoon session returns to more familiar territory with Secretary of State George Eustice鈥檚 address. In 2022, Defra鈥檚 Agricultural Transition Plan must step up delivery as direct payments wind down and ELMs and productivity schemes take their place. George has been a long-standing farming champion within government, but farmers now need to hear and see a lot more detail on Defra鈥檚 plans.
Conference continues with a timely plenary session chaired by Stuart Roberts on Britain鈥檚 food security. The double whammy of Brexit and Covid-19 have tested the supply chain to break point. Empty shelves have revealed the fragility of globalised supply chains. This session will test the government鈥檚 confidence in the state of UK food security.
The first day concludes with our traditional commodity breakout sessions. These are important sessions allowing you to meet and question national boards who represent NFU members to the many stakeholders who shape farmers' future.
Day 2
Being NFU President offers many amazing opportunities, including attending COP26 in Glasgow where I was pleased to meet President of the World Farmers' Organisation Dr Theo de Jager again. Theo is a huge advocate for farming on the international stage and farms in his own right in South Africa. I am so pleased that he can spend time with us to discuss the challenge of food security in Africa and the role farming must play in climate renewal.
In our penultimate session we'll hear from Emma Howard-Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency. Few in farming will not have some interaction with the Agency鈥檚 regulatory functions and I have challenged Emma to set out her blueprint for how the Agency wishes to work with farming, as a constructive partner.
The final session is perhaps the most exciting and resonant of Conference. We'll hear from NFU members from across England and Wales as they explain how they are building resilient businesses in times of great change.
I am extremely proud of the event we have organised. This is the time to learn more about political plans and what your NFU is doing to shape the future. This is your chance to put the case forward for the future of food and farming.
I wish you well and I hope that you find Conference enjoyable and thought-provoking in equal measure.