This blog is based on a piece, written by George Dunn, TFA Chief Executive, for The Cumberland News and Westmorland Gazette, published on 28 June 2024.

George Dunn, Chief Executive Tenant Farmers Association (TFA)

The pre-Election manifestoes of the three main UK Political Parties provided an interesting insight into the psyche of the Party managers. What was clear from the manifesto from the Labour Party, was that it had no desire to trip itself up in the way it did in 2019. Then it put out a very detailed manifesto and lost a considerable poll lead as it saw that manifesto ripped to shreds under media scrutiny. The Liberal Democrats, by contrast, put out an incredibly detailed document with lots of eye-catching ideas much in line with the style of its leader’s campaign frolics. However, the Conservative manifesto took a “steady as you go” approach with the more favourable commentary indicating that it displayed dependable governance whilst others, less favourable, suggesting it displays a Party which had somewhat run out of steam in government.

All the pre-Election manifestoes were disappointingly light on matters important to agricultural tenants. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the TFA immediately pressed for the new Labour administration to pick up the reins of the Rock Review into agricultural tenancies and to drive forward the recommendations of that report to deliver the future resilience of the let sector of agriculture. The first announcement we will be looking for is the recommitment to the appointment of the Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector announced by Prime Minister Sunak at his Downing Street farm to Fork Summit as almost one of the last policy announcements he made before declaring there would be a General Election.

The idea of a Commissioner did have cross Party support, even to the extent that the previous MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Tim Farron, tabled a Presentation Bill in the House of Commons seeking to bring forward the creation of such a role. Hopefully, our new Labour administration will not take too much persuasion that the appointment must go ahead. However, there is much more within the Rock Review that needs to be implemented, including in respect of new legislation provisions on taxation, issues in respect of the design of new Government schemes and the development of private markets for natural capital.

While we expect that most of the agricultural budget will be mostly targeted on grants and schemes, it would be better if the money was used to achieve a greater degree of fairness within supply chains. Fundamentally, farms are businesses which do not want to become reliant upon public payments. Farmers would much rather gain a fair and reasonable return from the marketplace. However, they are thwarted in that desire by built in market failures which, to date, no Government has adequately addressed. The TFA has long argued that a deeper and wider role for the Groceries Code Adjudicator could deliver a considerable improvement in the way in which supply chains operate to provide a more appropriate share of value to farmers and growers who bear much of the risk within the food chain. Add to that a more robust stance in using our post Brexit freedoms to boost exports and reduce regulation, there is no doubt that we would see a considerably more resilient agricultural industry as a result.

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TFA in Action – On 05 July 2024, the TFA wrote to Sir Keir Starmer, to congratulate him on his historic General Election victory and becoming our new Prime Minister. To read the letter in full, click here.  In addition, the TFA has been in touch with the newly appointed DEFRA Secretary of State, Steve Reed OBE MP, and Minister Daniel Zeichner MP, to emphasise what it sees as the four priorities for Government. For further details, click here. Commenting on 10 July, TFA Chief Executive, George Dunn, said “I am particularly grateful to Daniel Zeichner for taking the time to call me, on only his second day in post, to discuss our thoughts about progressing the Rock Review recommendations and the implementation of the Dartmoor Review. The TFA enjoyed a good working relationship with Daniel, when he was in Opposition, and we look forward to repeating that now that he is in Government”.