November 2024: Farmer-led Working Group Report

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In November, our Farmer Advisory Board convened to tackle a critical question: how can policies and regulations support farmers in growing healthy sustainable food, and what role can businesses play in advocating for this transition?

The session brought together farmers, retailers, manufacturers and processors to address the mounting pressures facing agriculture in 2024, from inheritance tax changes and NVZ restrictions to the overwhelming burden of data collection and compliance costs. Farmers told us they're shouldering huge financial risk without long-term contracts or pricing stability, while simultaneously being asked for carbon data rather than supported to build resilient systems.

Chris Manley captured it perfectly: with subsidies disappearing, farmers are increasingly exposed to market risks and being asked to do more without sufficient commitment from the food sector.

The message was clear: longer contracts, not necessarily higher prices but consistency and trust, alongside innovations in food business systems and greater stability from buyers are essential.

Financial sustainability must go hand in hand with environmental sustainability, and businesses need to recognise that farmers aren't passive suppliers but strategic partners central to net zero, nutrition and nature goals.