Defra Command Paper receives more than 44,000 responses
11th May 2018 / By Alistair Driver
The NPA's 53-page submisission to Defra's ‘Health & Harmony’ Command Paper on the future of food, farming and the environment was one of more than 44,000 responses to the consultation.
In the last week alone, nearly 20,000 responses were submitted to the consultation, which closed on Tuesday May 8. Farmers, food producers and environmentalists shared their views on everything from the support Government gives to farmers and food producers to the broader direction of policy post-Brexit when it comes to the natural world, Defra said.
The NPA's full response can be viewed here
A press release outlining the key findings can be viewed here
Defra Secretary Michael Gove said: “It’s great news that so many people have responded so enthusiastically to our consultation. Leaving the European Union gives us the opportunity to improve the support we give to Britain’s farmers.
"We can make farming more productive, improve the quality of the food we eat and enhance our natural environment. We’ll reflect on the many thoughtful ideas put forward in response to our consultation and bring forward our plans for legislation later this year.”
In its short statement on the response to the consultation, Defra cited one piece of consumer research – a recent WWF poll, undertaken by Populus, which found that 91 per cent of the UK public want to see farmers paid to protect nature.
Responses to the consultation will now be analysed carefully and the Government will publish a response shortly.