Defra told to listen more as Ministers woo rural interests

The Yorkshire Food and Farming Network is one of 14 such networks being unveiled today at the Oxford Farming Conference.

The organisations are designed to give farmers, food processors and rural communities a direct role in the shaping of policy and a point of contact in the event of emergencies – such as flooding.

Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said the networks were designed to reverse years of rural businesses and communities being overlooked and ignored in Government and said he wanted Defra to become “the listening department”.

The exact detail of who will make up the network has yet to be unveiled but Defra said the body will meet for the first time soon and then “on individual policy areas or issues of importance to rural communities”.

Mr Paice said: “For too long our rural communities have been overlooked and had too little say in decisions which affect them. We are putting that right through the Rural and Farming Networks. They will have direct access to Ministers and, just as importantly, Ministers will use them to ensure we understand the impact of our policies.

“Defra will be the ‘listening’ department that will understand and promote the interests of rural communities and businesses, based on direct contact with the people whose livelihoods we are championing.”