Can Minister for food security and rural affairs allay farmers’ and fishers’ fears?

Tuesday 16 December, from 10am, Committee Room 6, Palace of Westminster 

As the agricultural sector continues to wait for several critical strategies setting out the Government's vision for farming, the Committee will seek updates from the minister for food security and rural affairs, Dame Angela Eagle MP.   

The sector is grappling with taxation changes, poor profit margins and uncertainty about the Government's future direction. Just 56% of farmers “fully (7%) or roughly (49%) understand Defra's vision for farming”, according to the latest Farmer Opinion Tracker for England, published in April.  

EFRA Committee members will question the minister on her vision for farming including profitability, animal diseases, domestic food production, supply chain concerns and food prices. Food inflation continues to track above overall inflation. 

Members will explore the Department's work with the fishing sector following a recent visit to Brixham in Devon where the Committee heard that relationships with stakeholders were under strain. The outcomes of the negotiated UK fishing opportunities for 2026 have raised concerns.  

In recent weeks, the Committee has questioned the Secretary of State and two Defra ministers. However, the Committee is still unclear about the Government's direction of travel. Members will look for clarity on vision and will expect to hear about timelines for delivery.  

Witnesses, from 10am: 

• Dame Angela Eagle MP, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Defra 

• Emily Miles, Director General for Food, Biosecurity and Trade, Defra 

• Mike Rowe, Director for Farming and Countryside, Defra 

• Gareth Baynham-Hughes, Director of Marine and Fisheries, Defra 

• Mike Dowell, Deputy Director for Marine and Fisheries, Defra 

Notes to editors 

• The latest Farmer Opinion tracker for England (April 2025) 

• The EFRA Committee's strategy, which will underpin its work over the course of this Parliament, can be found here. The strategy is informed by consultation and engagement with stakeholders, including a survey launched to gather stakeholders' views on priority areas for scrutiny, and roundtable events it held with over 35 stakeholder organisations. The themes emanating from this engagement are detailed in this consultation document and the areas which the Committee is focussing its work on can be viewed here.