Committees

The future of farming

Inquiry

The agricultural sector is experiencing a period of significant change as it transitions away from a legacy direct payments regime towards nation-specific farming schemes.  

The future of farming inquiry will provide consistent scrutiny of the issues facing the sector as it transitions. It will focus on farmers, farming communities and the agricultural sector, and seek to engage with these stakeholders in formal calls for evidence, public evidence sessions, visits, engagement events and consultation.  

The Committee will call for evidence on a regular basis. The Committee will produce iterative and focused reports throughout the inquiry.  

Topics for scrutiny will include, but are not limited to: 

  • agricultural education and careers;
  • Defra’s farming and countryside programme (Environmental Land Management Schemes); 
  • food security;  
  • innovation and agri-tech; 
  • land use;  
  • nature-friendly farming;  
  • profitability of farming; and 
  • tenant farming.  

This inquiry will engage the Committee’s cross-cutting work on supporting rural and coastal communities.  

If you have information or evidence which may be of interest to the Committee, please contact: efracom@parliament.uk   

Upcoming events

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No upcoming events scheduled

Past events

Tuesday 1 April 2025
9:30am Private
10:00am Public
Oral evidence session 1 April 2025
The future of farming - Oral evidence
10:00am
  • Daniel Zeichner MP (Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Janet Hughes (Director of the Farming and Countryside Programme at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Emily Miles (Director General for Food, Biosecurity and Trade at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Fairness in the food supply chain - Oral evidence
10:45am
  • Daniel Zeichner MP (Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Janet Hughes (Director of the Farming and Countryside Programme at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Emily Miles (Director General for Food, Biosecurity and Trade at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Fisheries and the marine environment - Oral evidence
11:20am
  • Daniel Zeichner MP (Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Colin Faulkner (Head of External Fisheries and Trade at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Mike Dowell (Head of EU Fisheries Policy and Negotiations at Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)
Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Tuesday 14 January 2025
9:30am Private
10:00am Public
The future of farming - Oral evidence 14 January 2025
10:00am
  • Dame Tamara Finkelstein (Permanent Secretary at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Emily Miles (Director General for Food, Biosecurity and Trade at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
  • Jonathan Baker (Deputy Director of Policy, Engagement and Strategy at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 11 December 2024
9:30am Private
10:00am Public
The future of farming - Oral evidence 11 December 2024
10:00am
  • Jeremy Moody (Secretary and Adviser at Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV))
  • David Sturrock (Senior Research Economist at Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS))
  • Stuart Maggs (Partner at Howes Percival LLP)
  • Dr Arun Advani (Director at Centre for the Analysis of Taxation (CenTax))
11:00am
  • Tom Bradshaw (President at National Farmers' Union (NFU))
  • Victoria Vyvyan (President at Country Land and Business Association (CLA))
  • Robert Martin (National Chair at Tenant Farmers Association (TFA))
Room 6, Palace of Westminster

Contact us

We can’t usually help you with an individual problem or a specific complaint.

  • Email: efracom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: General enquiries: 0207 219 1119 | Press enquiries: 020 7219 3138
  • Address: Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA