The staff from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are taking part in a programme that aims to “help deepen their understanding of modern British agriculture” and which will cost as much as £650,000 of government funding.
Defra has awarded a contract to the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s (GWCT) Allerton Project team to deliver the government’s new Baseline Agricultural Training programme for its internal staff for the next four years.
According to GWCT, Defra workers are receiving training to “gain a clearer picture of how farms operate, the challenges they face, and the opportunities ahead for food production, nature recovery and climate adaptation.”
This training is being achieved through a combination of classroom learning and practical, on-farm experience, which will not only take place at Allerton farm in Leicestershire as three other farms are involved in the programme.
A spokesperson from GWCT told Agriland that the £650,00 sum was the “initial tender put out by Defra” for the programme, however it is not the amount that GWCT are being paid, with Defra stating that the actual figure is “likely to be lower” than £650,000.
Opposition
The Labour government has recently received political scrutiny regarding the cost of this training programme from opposing political parties.
The Shadow Defra Secretary and Conservative Party MP, Victoria Atkins said: “It will not be a surprise to any farmer to learn that civil servants, like the current crop of ministers they serve, have no clue about farming or the countryside.
“Since the general election, I have been meeting thousands of farmers up and down the country to hear their concerns and raise them in Parliament.
“Ministers and civil servants could learn a lot from them, including value for money,” she added.
Atkins noted that this situation will leave taxpayers asking “what else ministers are wasting money on.”
GWCT
In response to Atkins’ comments, the head of sustainable farming at the Allerton Project, Joe Stanley stated that the programme will reduce misunderstandings between Defra and farmers and ultimately lead to agricultural policies that are “more workable and more effective.”
He outlined that the programme’s purpose is to “to improve understanding of agriculture within Whitehall by giving civil servants a basic, practical grounding in how farming works.”
Stanley said: “Farmers are not lining up to join Defra, nor is anyone expecting them to – that is not how the civil service works.
“What is needed is for those designing and administering policy to better grasp the realities of livestock management, cropping decisions, seasonal pressures and environmental trade-offs faced by farmers daily.
He added that the goal is not to “turn officials into farmers”, but instead the aim is to allow farmers’ expertise to be heard and respected by Defra staff and ensure it informs future policymaking.
“If we want better outcomes for food production, the environment and rural businesses, welcoming such an initiative — rather than deriding it — is surely the sensible place to start,” Stanley added.
Defra
Defra also reiterated their reasoning for contracting the programme in light of recent criticism.
A spokesperson from Defra told Agriland that the aim of the programme is to upskill its staff on current farming practices, the challenges faced within the industry and the opportunities for improvement.
“The training will provide staff with a better understanding of farmers’ needs, as well as opportunities to see how their work within the department directly impacts farmers’ livelihoods and on-farm responsibilities.
“This will ultimately deliver policy that is grounded in real‑world experience and supports a more resilient, productive and sustainable agricultural sector,” the spokesperson outlined.
Additionally, the training programme is not only being provided to Defra staff, but also civil servants from Animal and Plant Health Agency, Natural England, and the Rural Payments Agency.
