EFRA Committee: What’s your beef?

Wednesday, 17 December 2025 13:01

The Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs wants to hear from you in a new survey designed to gather priorities for the new year. During 2025, the Committee embarked on several strands of work informed by responses from the public. Nine key policy areas were identified, setting the direction for the Committee's work. It published major reports on: The Government's vision for farming Reforming the water sector Illegal meat imports...Request free trial

The Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs wants to hear from you in a new survey designed to gather priorities for the new year.

During 2025, the Committee embarked on several strands of work informed by responses from the public. Nine key policy areas were identified, setting the direction for the Committee's work.

It published major reports on:

The Government's vision for farming

Reforming the water sector

Illegal meat imports and

Building a resilient border strategy for EU trade.

The Committee dispatched nearly 80 letters and held 26 evidence sessions, including questioning ten water companies on their environmental, financial, and customer performance.

Members spoke to those directly impacted by Defra policy, holding roundtables around the country and visiting key people including:

An agri-research centre in Norfolk

A fish market in Devon and conservation areas in Cornwall

Border control in Dover

A research institute in Germany

And meetings in Brussels to discuss UK-EU trade and biosecurity.

The Chair of the Committee, Alistair Carmichael MP said:

“The EFRA Committee gives a voice to those affected by Defra policy. When the Committee was established, all its Members agreed how important it was to hear from people directly. Our second annual survey is an opportunity for us to do just that.

“We've been challenging government departments and associated bodies to do better, travelling throughout the UK and beyond to inform the subjects for our inquiries and reports.

“What's next for EFRA? Farming, fishing, food, water – whether you're a producer or a consumer, we want to hear from you.”

The survey opens on 16 December and will run until 16 January. Find the survey:

In the bio link on Instagram @ukcommonscommittees where you can also find the Committee's Year in Review
On the Efra account on X: @CommonsEFRA
Scan the QR code (attached)

ENDS

Notes to editors

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.