NFU members joined chair Vice-President David Exwood and Baroness Rock who covered what the concerns are for the tenanted sector, what issues need resolving, what actions Defra needs to take, and questions from members.
The Rock Review and where we are
With around 64% of England's farmable land being wholly or partly tenanted, both David and Kate made it clear that ELMs (Environmental Land Management Schemes) needs to be fully accessible to tenants.聽
The reviews main objectives were:
- To make ELMs as accessible as possible to the tenanted sector
- To investigate short term and longer-term changes to support the sector.
"I want to pay a huge tribute and thanks to the NFU and to all the members who provided incredible and invaluable insights, thoughts, ideas and examples. A lot of what we heard from members found its way into the review so I am very grateful, so thank you."
Baroness Kate Rock
Positive outcomes
The review has elevated the understanding and importance of rural communities, landowners and the tenant farming community.聽
Defra's acknowledgement of the issues has only been possible through the joint voices of all those that have been involved and we eagerly await further announcements.
Read: NFU Vice President David Exwood writes to the Farming Minister in response to the Rock Review.
Meet the speakers
David Exwood
NFU Deputy President
David farms south of Horsham in West Sussex with his wife and two sons over 1200 tenanted hectares in the heart of the Sussex Weald.
Starting in 1989 with 70ha the business now has arable, dairy beef, Sussex suckler herd and sheep enterprises. In 2003 the Farm Shop opened and sells a wide range of food from the Victorian stable yard at Westons.
He has served previously within the NFU as Branch Chair, West Sussex Council Delegate, South East Regional Chair as well as four years on Governance Board.
David was elected to the position of NFU Deputy President in February 2024.
Responsibilities
- EU and international relations
- Banking
- Biodiversity
- Food labelling
- Food safety
- Food service and hospitality
- Agricultural transition (productivity, ELMs, stability)
- Plant health
- Assurance schemes
- British Agriculture Bureau
- Health, safety and wellbeing
- Agricultural transport
- Uplands
- Tenants
Baroness Kate Rock
Chair, The Rock Review
Kate is a member of the House of Lords where she regularly contributes on agricultural and rural economy matters.
Over half of England鈥檚 agricultural land has a tenant farmer as its steward. In order to produce quality food, and sequester carbon, and restore wildlife, it is essential that the incentives to do this are accessible to tenant farmers. The Rock Review, built on solid evidence and extensive consultation, sets out clearly how this can be done.
Kate is a director of a tenant farming enterprise in Dorset. She is also chair of the infrastructure business Costain plc and the senior independent director of the geo-technical specialist contractor Keller Group plc.
