Category Archives: Agriculture

Opportunity or Uncertainty? What the government reshuffle means for food and agriculture businesses

The government’s latest reshuffle has moved two Defra heavyweights to new departments. Rt Hon Steve Reed MP and Daniel Zeichner MP had invested time and energy in building relationships with the food and farming industries and getting to grips with the challenges faced by businesses in each. With a new secretary of state heading up the department and a new farming minister now appointed, the challenge for both the ministerial team and the sector is to hit the ground running and ensure policy progress does not stall.

The first all-female ministerial team, the new Defra team is certainly groundbreaking. Each minister brings experiences from different backgrounds and with that, a different set of priorities. For businesses in the food and agricultural sectors, these appointments signal both opportunity and uncertainty, raising questions about how the department will approach issues like rural growth, food security, and land management.

A fresh new ministerial line up at Defra presents farming and agricultural businesses with a wealth of opportunities. In the aftermath of a reshuffle, businesses should be thinking about how to best introduce themselves and strike up a relationship with the new team. While getting to grips with their briefs, ministers will be seeking solutions to the challenges they face. Aligning your business with the government’s priorities, and offering tangible solutions, will be the most effective way to gain trust.

New Appointment: Emma Reynolds – Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Emma Reynolds was appointed as Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 5 September 2025, replacing Steve Reed. Reynolds joins Defra from the Treasury, where she served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury and City Minister. She was elected as the MP for Wycombe last year.

The reaction to Reynolds’ appointment from the agricultural community has been largely positive. Shortly after assuming the role, Reynolds met with NFU President Tom Bradshaw, who described their meeting as a ‘constructive and positive conversation’. Speaking to the Farmers Weekly Podcast, Jonathan Roberts of the Country, Land and Business Association stated that Reynolds is ‘pretty interested’ in farming and that she understands the challenges that the industry is facing. In a year where farmers have been protesting in Westminster, particularly over the issue of inheritance tax relief, rebuilding trust between the agricultural community and the government is crucial. Reynolds’ background in the Treasury could also be an advantage for the industry. Whilst she might lack experience in dealing with agricultural issues, her financial acumen and understanding of how the Treasury works is an important starting point for unlocking rural growth and protecting the industry.

New Appointment: Dame Angela Eagle CBE – Minister of State (Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs)

Dame Angela replaced Daniel Zeichner MP as Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs as part of last week’s cabinet reshuffle. Eagle joins Defra from the Home Office, where she served as Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum. She has been the MP for Wallasey for over thirty years and has a wealth of experience in both government and the shadow cabinet.

Eagle’s appointment has attracted a mixed reaction from the agricultural community. Whilst Eagle’s profile as a senior Labour MP might result in farming becoming a significant issue on the policy agenda, she is seen more as a political operator rather than a sector insider. Despite the backlash regarding changes to inheritance tax relief for agricultural assets, Zeichner was praised for his ability to build relationships with the farming community. Therefore, it is important that Eagle engages with the sector to the same extent and grasps the realities of the challenges faced by the agricultural community.

Existing Appointment: Emma Hardy MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Water and Flooding)

Emma Hardy MP was appointed to her current ministerial position in July 2024, having previously served as Shadow Minister for Environmental Quality and Resilience. Hardy is a trained teacher and worked for the National Union of Teachers before entering politics.

Since taking office, Hardy has dedicated significant funding to enhance resilience against flooding. This includes £60 million in recovery payments to farm businesses, and £50 million to support internal drainage boards in reducing flood risks in rural areas. Hardy has also been proactive in supporting the construction of new infrastructure to enhance water security, such as the Havant Thicket Reservoir.

However, Hardy has been involved in flashpoints between the government and the agricultural sector. In January 2025, the government rejected an application from British Sugar and the NFU to use an emergency neonicotinoid pesticide on sugar beet, with Hardy stating that the decision was made to protect bees. This illustrates the complexity of government decision making when balancing agricultural productivity with environmental impact. This dynamic is likely to continue throughout the remainder of this parliament.

Existing Appointment: Mary Creagh MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature)

Mary Creagh MP was appointed as Minister for Nature in July 2024. Creagh has an extensive background in environmental affairs, as previous chair of the Environmental Audit Committee and previous shadow Defra secretary of state.

Key milestones for her tenure as Minister for Nature include the announcement of a Nature Restoration Fund, which promises to work alongside farms in supporting conservation efforts, and a £1.1 billion boost to improving local recycling services in England. In June 2025, Creagh also announced a £13.6 million scheme to support farming and cut food waste by redistributing surplus produce to homelessness charities and food banks.

Existing Appointment: Baroness Hayman of Ullock – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Lords Minister)

Baroness Hayman has been a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at Defra since July 2024, bringing with her extensive parliamentary and environmental experience. Baroness Hayman took up her peerage in the House of Lords in 2020. She served as Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs between 2017 and 2019, and later the Shadow Environmental Spokesperson from 2020 to 2024.

As a passionate animal welfare advocate, most of Baroness Hayman’s parliamentary activities fall under that responsibility. However, she has also sought to promote the interests of British farmers in supporting government efforts to protect livestock by implementing preventative measures against the spread of foot and mouth disease.

From the Dragons’ den to Defra’s: new government funding to boost agri-tech

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has launched a new £12.6 million funding package to support agri-tech innovation. It will be a ‘Dragons Den’-style process comprising two competitions. Forming part of the government’s Farming Innovation Programme, these competitions will reward the businesses that can offer the most innovative solutions to systemic challenges in the agricultural sector, such as rising costs and environmental pressures.

This initiative represents a progression of the government’s New Deal for Farmers and is a signal that agri-tech is a core component of its food security and rural growth strategy. Whilst the government has already pledged to allocate £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over the next parliament, this additional funding arrives at a politically sensitive moment for the agricultural industry. The government’s relationship with the agricultural community has been tested during Labour’s first year in office, particularly following widespread backlash against the 2024 autumn budget’s proposed changes to inheritance tax. Against this backdrop, increased funding is not only an economic stimulus to encourage technological development, but also an attempt to reset the government’s political relationship with the agricultural sector. As a visible commitment to supporting innovation-led growth, it indicates that the government is listening to the sector’s demands for long-term solutions rather than short-term fixes.

The funding itself will be delivered through two competitions set to open from mid-September. The Small R&D Partnerships competition, launching on 15 September, will offer up to £7.8 million to support later-stage projects that are near commercial readiness. The strongest bids will be those that are able to demonstrate how their product or service will improve productivity, sustainability, progression, and resilience, as well as having a clear avenue to market upon. The second competition, allocating up to £4.8 million for early-stage ideas, will open on 13 October and is designed to assist developers in scaling up their project. Both competitions will be carried out in partnership with Innovate UK.

This is positive news for businesses in the agri-tech sector. The government is actively seeking to fund scalable, practical technologies that can solve the problems straining today’s agricultural sector. Rather than simply financing projects that are market-ready, the government is willing to fund the development of ideas. It solidifies the role that agri-tech plays in enhancing sustainability and boosting rural productivity via technological innovation.

Ultimately, this announcement acts as a timely reminder that agricultural innovation is recognised by the government as a mechanism for economic growth and as a frontier industry in the UK’s industrial strategy. As the government seeks to establish a balance between regulation, business support, and long-term agricultural resilience, initiatives like these will play a central role in shaping the next generation of British farming.

If you wish to discuss the government’s agri-tech policy or how to access this funding, please reach out to thea@gkstrategy.com.

No more nasties: The government stamps its feet on baby food

The Department of Health and Social Care recently unveiled a new set of voluntary guidelines aiming to enhance the nutritional quality of commercial baby foods. These set new expectations for manufacturers, retailers, trade associations and non-governmental healthcare organisations to reduce the sugar and salt content of baby food and address misleading labelling within the next 18 months.

This initiative is the latest intervention as part of the government’s ‘Plan for Change’ and its broader 10-year plan for health. Building upon previous HFSS measures, such as the ban on junk food advertisements restrictions on fast-food outlets near schools, it indicates a growing appetite to intervene to improve the nation’s dietary health. Childhood obesity rates have doubled since the 1990s and obesity currently costs the NHS £11.4 billion per year; this is expected to increase as obese children reach adulthood. In order to shape healthy eating habits as much as possible, policymakers are turning their focus to the formative stages of children’s diets. The rationale is straightforward: if a child’s very first diet is contributing to lifelong health problems, then meaningful change must begin from the highchair.

The evidence underpinning these guidelines is clear. Researchers from the University of Leeds have found that baby foods from market leaders lack nutritional value and market their products in a misleading way. All too often, these products are sugary, watery, and breed consumer confusion with misleading slogans like ‘contains no nasties’. The guidance also advises manufacturers not to market products aimed at children under twelve months of age as ‘snacks’, with NHS guidance for parents contending that children this young do not need to eat snacks.

For manufacturers and retailers alike, the challenge will be to reformulate at pace. With the use of sweeteners prohibited for all foods aimed at children aged three and under, and a market that values both taste and convenience, they will need to find new ways to meet nutritional needs whilst maintaining trust with parental consumers.

Though billed as voluntary, these guidelines represent a clear direction of travel for the government. Public health campaigners have already indicated that these recommendations represent a further step rather than the finish line, and the government has left the door open to mandatory regulation should uptake be slow or inconsistent. For businesses, the choice is binary: act now and shape the policy conversation, or risk playing catch-up if it was to become law.

The government’s strong stance on baby food is a clear signal of intent to improve the nutritional content of the nation’s diet. It forms part of a wider push by the government to encourage healthy eating habits, improve transparency between businesses and consumers and reduce the long-term economic burden on the NHS. Whilst this will result in short-term costs to businesses, there remains a real strategic opportunity to engage in the policy conversation. Businesses that position themselves early as genuine leaders in providing nutritional baby food can win the trust of both policymakers and increasingly health-conscious parents.

How can agri-tech prepare for the next parliamentary term?

MPs might be on their summer break but what can you be doing to prepare for the next parliamentary term?

August in Westminster is a quieter time. Government grinds to a halt as MPs return home to continue business back in their elected constituencies. This downtime in the political calendar grants companies a rare breathing space – and the opportunity to turn attentions to resetting government relations plans and preparing for the parliamentary year ahead.

Before parliament returns on 1 September, businesses should be taking the time to think about how to best prepare for the government’s second year in office. Although parliament is in recess, there’s still plenty we can be getting on with to develop an effective strategy and work towards policy objectives. From strengthening stakeholder engagement strategies to assessing regulatory risk, the planning taken now will make the crucial difference between scrambling to adapt to policy announcements and confidently navigating the next wave of policy decisions.

So, what should businesses be thinking about during these summer months?

Engaging with the civil service

While parliament draws to a close over the summer, the civil service remains central to ensuring the smooth operation of public services. Officials continue to work on the implementation of government policies, running consultations, and preparing for the legislative activity that is set to resume in the autumn.

For businesses, the absence of parliamentary activity offers a valuable opportunity to take stock of their existing relationships with civil servants, assess the strength of those channels of communication and identify where they could be expanded. Civil servants tend to be a bit quieter over summer too, so it’s the perfect time to catch up over a coffee in preparation for the year ahead.

Monitoring Parliamentary Committees

Similarly to the civil service, parliamentary committees continue their business while MPs are away. Staff continue to work behind the scenes, launching calls for evidence and meeting businesses in their sectors of interest. In recent weeks, we’ve seen a flurry of committee activity affecting the agri-tech space.

The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee have launched an inquiry into innovation and global food security, actively seeking to hear from agri-tech businesses about how new agricultural practices can catalyse food production. Each Committee’s reports, which are written using the evidence submitted to the inquiry, land directly on ministers’ desks – offering businesses the space to communicate exactly what they need from government to succeed.

Can we also add the health one here? One of the focuses of the health one is healthy food and many of the agri-tech businesses focus on improving nutritional content e.g. precision breeding.

Preparing for Party Conferences

The annual party conferences mark a significant moment in the political calendar. Taking place over September and October, each conference allows parties to set their political agenda and rally support from members and industry. For Labour as the governing party, this means actively listening to and engaging with businesses of all sizes to better understand their priorities, concerns, and capacity to contribute to the party’s core objective of economic growth. With agri-tech flagged as a frontier industry within the government’s industrial strategy, the party conference will provide a useful avenue for businesses within the sector to raise their profile with government.

For opposition parties, conferences are a critical space for developing and refining alternative policies that can challenge the government’s agenda. Without the responsibility of running departments day-to-day, opposition parties can use this time to strategise ideas that could credibly form the backbone of their next election manifesto.

Meeting with MPs

Although MPs are back in their constituencies during recess, they are not on officially out of office. During this time MPs turn their attentions to local priorities, such as meeting constituents, visiting community projects and engaging with businesses in their area. Businesses, and especially those developing cutting edge agricultural technology, should think about inviting MPs to visit their sites to see first-hand innovation in the sector. Demonstrating tangible contributions to local employment, food security, environmental sustainability, or economic growth can help MPs see how your business aligns with their constituents’ interests and supports the government’s wider priorities.

Building and strengthening relations with MPs is at the core of effective political engagement. An MP who understands your business and believes in its potential can be a powerful advocate by championing your work in parliament or connecting you with relevant ministers and officials.

Although the political pace of the parliamentary summer recess might feel slower, this is no time for businesses to wind down. Whether through strengthening relationships with civil servants, preparing for the party conference season, or engaging directly with MPs in their constituencies, the weeks remaining weeks until 1 September grant businesses the time to reassess their political engagement. Using this time productively will enable businesses to position themselves as constructive partners to government, trusted to feed into the conversations that will shape Labour’s next year in office and beyond.

From farm to fork: An ambitious food strategy published by Defra

The government has published its food strategy, setting out a vision for a healthier, more affordable, sustainable and resilient food system. It is ambitious in scope and designed to reconcile often competing objectives from farm to fork.

The food strategy identifies three interlocking dynamics of the UK food system:

i) a junk food cycle driven by our appetite for highly processed, energy-dense foods and the strong commercial incentives this creates to produce foods high in sugar and fat,

ii) the invisible cost to nature which fails to reward sustainable and environmentally friendly food production, and

iii) a resilience gap that means the UK is highly exposed to multiple and increasing risks, such as climate change.

The next step for ministers and officials is to develop an implementation plan, as well as metrics and indicators to measure progress towards achieving the strategy’s ten priority outcomes. This will take time and require ministers to engage with industry and business to ensure the government’s transition to a ‘good food cycle’ is achievable. It will also need to align with forthcoming strategies in Defra’s to-do list to deliver real, joined-up change across the entire food system. To name a few – the Land-Use Framework, the Food and Farming Decarbonisation Plan, the Farming Roadmap and Farming Profitability Review, and the Circular Economy Strategy.

What does the food strategy mean for agri-tech?

There is a huge opportunity for businesses in the space to engage with government off the back of the publication of the food strategy. Ministers clearly see innovation as critical to resolving system challenges in everything from public health to food security. Agri-tech businesses should take note: the government is not only signalling interest but actively investing in solutions that can deliver measurable impact.

To maximise this opportunity, businesses should look to demonstrate how they can support the government in achieving the food strategy’s core objectives – boosting productivity, enhancing resilience and delivery environmental sustainability. Collaborating with early adopters to demonstrate real-world use cases can help build a compelling evidence base that convinces policymakers of a solution’s viability and impact. Engaging with policymakers means staying ahead of regulatory change and shaping policy and market reforms to establish pathways to commercialisation.

Agri-tech may well represent the silver bullet policymakers are searching for, but unless the sector speaks up and showcases its impact, those solutions risk going unnoticed.

If you need help with demonstrating how you can become a key player in the government’s food strategy, contact GK Strategy today.

Sky’s the limit: Why agri-tech should engage on drone law reform

Drones and autonomous flight technologies are set to revolutionise how we travel, deliver goods and produce food, and the government has taken note. As part of a comprehensive three-year review into the regulatory framework of autonomous flight and the use of drones, the Law Commission has launched a second consultation. Its three-year review is nearing completion with recommendations expected to be published by early 2026 and will shape how this fast-moving sector evolves. For innovators in agri-tech and beyond, the opportunity to help design the rules that will govern a sky filled with commercial drones is now.

Flying free from EU constraints

Legislative agility to facilitate innovation is the ambition and ties into the government’s wider economic growth agenda. Aviation law in the UK is prescriptive and duly geared towards the passenger aviation sector. With the UK no longer bound by EU aviation rules, policymakers can now craft a more bespoke, agile regulatory environment that encourages experimentation, accelerates innovation and attracts investment.

However, the government has identified a possible post-Brexit dividend as the current regulatory regime is largely a carryover from current EU law. This presents a unique opportunity to break away from legacy constraints and design a tailored regime for UK-specific innovations and ambitions. A more flexible regime could fast-track the safe deployment of cutting-edge drone technology and give UK-based companies a first-mover advantage, enabling them to export innovations globally.

Drones on farms: Unlocking agri-tech potential

Commercial applications of drone technology are wide ranging. For the food and agriculture sectors alone, drones could revolutionise farming operations:

Precision agriculture from monitoring crops based on thermal sensors to scanning fields and accurately predicting crop yields.
Agricultural sprays deploying pesticides, fertilisers and herbicides thereby reducing labour costs, use of chemicals and their environmental impacts, and identifying diseases or pests to prevent wider outbreaks.
Irrigation management by identifying drainage issues to drought-stressed areas and enabling the more efficient use of water and real-time crop water requirements.
Crop insurance and assessment by providing accurate, unbiased and detailed imagery required by insurers to speed up claims processes.
Harvesting assistance by providing crop maturity assessments to more effectively plan harvesting schedules and boosting the quality of crop yields.
Forestry and orchard management by measuring canopy growth, quantifying tree populations and aiding pruning schedules.

The economic case for drone-powered agriculture

There are many economic benefits – from reduced labour and input costs through more precise allocation of resources, to increasing crop yields via data driven decision making. Lower chemical and water usage not only cuts costs but also supports environmental sustainability. For businesses able to make the capital investment, drone technology is set to become a core component of modern agricultural management, policymakers should be engaged on this.

Government support signals lift-off

There is clear momentum in government to embrace drone technologies. The aviation minister has confirmed £20 million in funding for new flight technologies, including £5m earmarked for the Future of Flight Challenge. These initiatives could create government-backed testbeds for agri-tech solutions and help de-risk businesses ready for investment. For innovators in the sector, this is a moment to engage directly with policymakers, to shape the regulatory framework and unlock the commercial potential of drone led farming. The Law Commission’s second consultation is open until 18 July 2025, and alongside a wider engagement programme, this is a key opportunity to have your voice heard and set the direction of travel for the sector.