The National Sheep Association (NSA) has called on the new secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural affairs (Defra), Ranil Jayawardena, to prioritise British farming following his appointment to the position by Prime Minister Liz Truss.
The chief executive for the NSA, Phil Stocker, wants Jayawardena to “ensure that British producers can continue to provide high quality, sustainable food for the nation and beyond”.
Stocker expressed concern about Jayawardena’s lack of experience in the agricultural sector, and believes that his appointment has come at a particularly difficult time for British agriculture.
“Mr. Jayawardena appears to have little existing knowledge of agriculture or land management, having rarely engaged on related subjects in the House of Commons,” he said.
“However, he will be judged on the actions going forward rather than his previous history and the most important thing he can do is to listen and quickly get to grips with the farming sectors.”
Free trade agreements
Jayawardena has previously served in the Department for International Trade (DIT) and has been a keen advocate for free trade agreements (FTA).
Stocker criticised the recent FTAs with Australia and New Zealand made by the DIT during Jayawarden’s tenure.
“…(the FTAs) have provided little to no opportunity for British sheep producers but rather put them at further risk during increasingly volatile times,” he said.
“There are very few opportunities arising for British producers especially concerning the lack of Border Control Points for trading breeding animals with the European Union, an impasse that has crippled many businesses since Brexit.
“Ensuring that British farmers and produce are represented and at the forefront of future decision making will be key in ensuring we can be a food secure nation.
“There must be action and decision on any future policy direction, significant timelines and meaningful detail to allow the best possible opportunities for agricultural businesses to forecast and plan for the future.”
