Prime Minister's speech to the NFU annual conference: 20 February 2024
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's speech to the NFU annual conference.

[Please note: Political content has been redacted from this transcript.]
I know, Minette, this is your last conference as NFU President 鈥� so I actually wanted to start by first paying a brief tribute to you.
During a momentous period, you鈥檝e been a formidable champion of our farmers 鈥� always fair, always thoughtful, and always forceful.聽If you asked some of my ministers down they鈥檇 probably say very forceful.
But I know everyone will want to join me in once again paying a special tribute and a thanks to Minette for everything she鈥檚 done.
Nine years ago, I gave my maiden speech in the House of Commons.
I pledged that day to be a champion of agriculture, the countryside and all of my hard-working rural constituents.
It鈥檚 farmers who feed us.
Farmers who embody those British values of strength, resilience, warmth and independence.
I see that in North Yorkshire 鈥� and across the country 鈥� week in and week out.聽
I鈥檝e been to the auction marts.聽
I鈥檝e walked the fields up and down Swaledale and Wensleydale.聽
Enjoyed our high-quality British meat 鈥� which let me tell you we鈥檒l continue supporting people to eat.
I鈥檝e visited upland farms, hill farms, arable and livestock farms.
I even tried my hand at milking once 鈥� not very successfully I must say.
But I see first hand the long hours that you work, the weather that you contend with, the family businesses you support, the communities you build鈥�
聽鈥he beautiful countryside, the pastures, the hedgerows, the fields, that would not be the same without you.聽
You do it not for praise, or high reward鈥�
鈥ut to put food on our tables鈥�
鈥o maintain a tradition and a way of life鈥�
鈥� and to steward our landscape.聽
It鈥檚 part of who we are.
And we don鈥檛 celebrate you enough.聽
And so, on behalf of the nation, I just wanted to say: thank you.
Biggest change in a generation
Now while the importance of farmers will never change 鈥� farming is going through its biggest change in a generation.
And as you do so, this government will be by your side.聽
You鈥檝e been dealing with soaring global prices in things like fuel and fertiliser.
So we鈥檝e been working hard to get inflation down 鈥� from 11% last year to 4% now.聽 聽
And we鈥檙e increasing payments in our farming schemes by an average of 10 per cent.
You鈥檙e dealing with climate change and extreme weather too.聽聽
聽Devastating flooding has damaged crops鈥�
鈥elayed planting鈥�
鈥� and has taken a huge toll on our farming communities.聽
聽That鈥檚 why we quickly set out our flooding support鈥�
鈥� and why we鈥檙e going faster than almost anyone else in the world to tackle climate change, even as we reduce the burdens on families.
You鈥檙e also at the forefront of innovation 鈥� from gene editing to boost resilience to disease, to automation to harvest crops.
And while thanks to you we enjoy good quality food all year round鈥�
鈥� global events 鈥� including Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine 鈥� have put food security back at the top of the agenda.
We鈥檒l never take our food security for granted.
We鈥檝e got a plan to support British farming 鈥� and we鈥檙e going further again, today, in three specific areas.聽
First, we鈥檙e investing in farming.聽
We promised that across this parliament, every penny of the 拢2.4 billion annual farming budget would be spent on you.
And we will absolutely meet that promise.
I know that the transition from the Common Agricultural Policy has been frustrating.
It鈥檚 taken time.聽
And I appreciate the perception that we didn鈥檛 always get the balance exactly right.聽
But I still believe the vision is the right one.聽
CAP disproportionately rewarded the largest landowners and held back smaller farmers.
It did little for food productivity or the environment.聽
It was far, far too bureaucratic.
Just remember 鈥� we used to argue about whether a cauliflower and a cabbage were the same crop鈥β�
鈥� and you could be fined thousands for a gateway being too wide, or a buffer strip too narrow.
So it鈥檚 right that our new system invests in the foundations of food security 鈥� from healthy soils to clean water.
[Please note: Political content redacted here]
And today we want to go further to support you.
So we鈥檙e announcing new steps to make our support schemes more generous and easier to use.聽
Take the Management Payment.
It鈥檚 working, with many farmers 鈥� small farmers especially - signing up.聽
So I can announce today that we鈥檙e going to double that payment to 拢2,000鈥β�
鈥� with thousands of farmers receiving that money this Spring.
We鈥檙e also launching the biggest ever package of grants this year鈥�
鈥� to boost productivity and resilience, which will total 拢220 million.
Increasing the Improving Farming Productivity scheme to invest in things like robotics and barn-top solar.
We鈥檙e opening a new聽round of the Farming Equipment and Technology fund too, worth 拢70m.聽
Second, as farming changes, how we work with you in government must change too.
The services we provide must be shaped around your needs.
And we鈥檝e got to build a culture that鈥檚 based on trust.
As President Eisenhower said: 鈥淵ou know, farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you鈥檙e a thousand miles from a corn field.鈥�
So we鈥檙e changing the culture.
That means trust, support, co-operation鈥�
It means delivering on our promise to cut planning red tape that鈥檚 stopping you from diversifying.聽
In April, for instance, we鈥檒l lay legislation so you can create bigger farm shops or outdoor sports venues.聽
And it means more funding for grassroots mental health support鈥�
鈥ecause we know what a tough job farming is.
Thirdly, we鈥檙e strengthening support for your primary role鈥�
鈥o produce the nation鈥檚 food.
Food security is a vital part of our national security.聽
And recent years have brought home the truth of that.
Putin set off not just an energy price bomb鈥�
鈥ut a food price bomb, too.
And as Minette has so powerfully reminded us time after time鈥�
鈥n an age of climate change and instability鈥�
鈥lobal food production will become increasingly volatile鈥�
鈥o it鈥檚 important to strengthen food security here at home.
Our Agriculture Act introduced a three-yearly report to monitor food security.
But given how much has happened in the last three years, it鈥檚 clear that we need to go further.
So today, I can announce we鈥檒l step up our monitoring with a new annual Food Security Index, which we expect to be UK-wide.聽
And yes Minette, we鈥檒l make this statutory when parliamentary time allows.
We鈥檒l publish the first draft at the Farm to Fork Summit this spring.聽
And I鈥檓 also delighted to say those Summits will become an annual event.
One way to improve food security is to stop millions of tonnes of good, fresh farm food from going to waste鈥�
鈥� just because of its shape or size.
聽So we鈥檒l also provide funding today, 拢15m, to redirect that surplus into the hands of those who need it.
Conclusion
So in conclusion, supporting farmers, changing our approach, and strengthening food security 鈥� that鈥檚 our plan.
And you can trust us to deliver 鈥� because鈥� we already are.聽
You said you wanted a fair price for your products鈥β�
鈥omorrow we鈥檙e laying new regulations for the dairy sector, and we鈥檙e launching a review of the poultry sector.
You asked for fair treatment in our trade deals鈥�
鈥o we鈥檙e standing up for our farmers in those negotiations 鈥� whether it鈥檚 with Canada or anybody else.
You asked for a fairer, more supportive regulatory system鈥�
鈥� and we鈥檝e reformed our approach, cutting penalties for minor issues, already down by 40%.
But more than this, you can trust us because I know how important my neighbours, our farmers, all of you, truly are.
You help support millions of jobs鈥�
鈥dd billions to our economy鈥�
鈥� shape the landscape鈥�
鈥� but most of all, you produce the food we need 鈥�
鈥ood that is some of the best and highest quality anywhere in the world.
And that鈥檚 why I say to all of you and to Britain鈥檚 farmers鈥�
鈥� just as I did in my first days in Parliament:
I鈥檝e got your back. 聽
Thank you very much.