Regulation: Task force told to cut red tape burden on farming industry

A panel of rural experts will review regulations and how they are implemented to try to find ways in which the regulatory burden on UK farmers can be reduced.

The Task Force on Farming Regulation is expected to hold discussions with people across the food and drink sector.

This week's announcement confirmed that the Task Force will be led by Richard Macdonald, a former NFU official, and include Judith Donovan, the Yorkshire businesswoman spearheading a Health and Safety Executive drive to reduce accidents on UK farms.

The work will cover areas such as farming, food issues as they apply on farms, food processing and processing of farm produce.

The group will focus on identifying and making recommendations regarding what it will deem "unnecessary measures".

Those which originate in the UK could then be revoked while those from Europe will be renegotiated.

The Task Force will also examine alternative approaches that could reduce the burden of existing regulations – removing "gold-plating". Finally, it will also look at how disproportionate or over-complex enforcement could be made simpler.

Agricultural Minister Jim Paice said: "We need to target the red tape that ties up our farmers and food businesses and trust in their ability to get on with the business of producing our food, managing our countryside and contributing to our economic recovery.

"I want the Task Force to transform how we implement and enforce regulations so that the role of Government becomes supportive rather than prescriptive."

Reducing red tape and regulation for the farming industry was a Tory party promise during the election campaign.

Other Task Force members are Richard Percy, vice-chairman of NFU Mutual; William Goodwin, an animal welfare expert; Waitrose director Heather Jenkins; Marion Regan, managing director of Hugh Lowe Farms; John Healey, company secretary of Warburtons; Andy Robertson, director of environment issues at East Sussex County Council and Steve Tapper, a senior scientist and director with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

Mr Macdonald said: "I am delighted to be asked to lead such a dynamic and diverse team in this long overdue task."Mark Casci

Agricultural Correspondent

THE amount of red tape and bureaucracy faced by farmers is to be the subject of a review by a new Government task force.

A panel of rural experts will review regulations and how they are implemented to try to find ways in which the regulatory burden on UK farmers can be reduced.

The Task Force on Farming Regulation is expected to hold discussions with people across the food and drink sector.

This week's announcement confirmed that the Task Force will be led by Richard Macdonald, a former NFU official, and include Judith Donovan, the Yorkshire businesswoman spearheading a Health and Safety Executive drive to reduce accidents on UK farms.

The work will cover areas such as farming, food issues as they apply on farms, food processing and processing of farm produce.

The group will focus on identifying and making recommendations regarding what it will deem "unnecessary measures".

Those which originate in the UK could then be revoked while those from Europe will be renegotiated.

The Task Force will also examine alternative approaches that could reduce the burden of existing regulations – removing "gold-plating". Finally, it will also look at how disproportionate or over-complex enforcement could be made simpler.

Agricultural Minister Jim Paice said: "We need to target the red tape that ties up our farmers and food businesses and trust in their ability to get on with the business of producing our food, managing our countryside and contributing to our economic recovery.

"I want the Task Force to transform how we implement and enforce regulations so that the role of Government becomes supportive rather than prescriptive."

Reducing red tape and regulation for the farming industry was a Tory party promise during the election campaign.

Other Task Force members are Richard Percy, vice-chairman of NFU Mutual; William Goodwin, an animal welfare expert; Waitrose director Heather Jenkins; Marion Regan, managing director of Hugh Lowe Farms; John Healey, company secretary of Warburtons; Andy Robertson, director of environment issues at East Sussex County Council and Steve Tapper, a senior scientist and director with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

Mr Macdonald said: "I am delighted to be asked to lead such a dynamic and diverse team in this long overdue task."Mark Casci

Agricultural Correspondent

THE amount of red tape and bureaucracy faced by farmers is to be the subject of a review by a new Government task force.

A panel of rural experts will review regulations and how they are implemented to try to find ways in which the regulatory burden on UK farmers can be reduced.

The Task Force on Farming Regulation is expected to hold discussions with people across the food and drink sector.

This week's announcement confirmed that the Task Force will be led by Richard Macdonald, a former NFU official, and include Judith Donovan, the Yorkshire businesswoman spearheading a Health and Safety Executive drive to reduce accidents on UK farms.

The work will cover areas such as farming, food issues as they apply on farms, food processing and processing of farm produce.

The group will focus on identifying and making recommendations regarding what it will deem "unnecessary measures".

Those which originate in the UK could then be revoked while those from Europe will be renegotiated.

The Task Force will also examine alternative approaches that could reduce the burden of existing regulations – removing "gold-plating". Finally, it will also look at how disproportionate or over-complex enforcement could be made simpler.

Agricultural Minister Jim Paice said: "We need to target the red tape that ties up our farmers and food businesses and trust in their ability to get on with the business of producing our food, managing our countryside and contributing to our economic recovery.

"I want the Task Force to transform how we implement and enforce regulations so that the role of Government becomes supportive rather than prescriptive."

Reducing red tape and regulation for the farming industry was a Tory party promise during the election campaign.

Other Task Force members are Richard Percy, vice-chairman of NFU Mutual; William Goodwin, an animal welfare expert; Waitrose director Heather Jenkins; Marion Regan, managing director of Hugh Lowe Farms; John Healey, company secretary of Warburtons; Andy Robertson, director of environment issues at East Sussex County Council and Steve Tapper, a senior scientist and director with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

Mr Macdonald said: "I am delighted to be asked to lead such a dynamic and diverse team in this long overdue task."