DEFRA, diversification & connections to the land
A timely conversation with Baroness Minette Batters
I have a deep emotional attachment to the land
It feels like an enormous responsibility, but I'm very grateful to the huge number of people that have engaged with me.Minette speaking about her direct ministerial appointment on the Farm Profitability Review for DEFRA
Learning food prep skills on an Outdoor Week of Learning (OWL) at Jamie’s Farm
Our Chief Executive, Ed Ikin, had the privilege of chatting to Baroness Minette Batters recently. As former President of the NFU, and direct ministerial appointment on the Farm Profitability Review for DEFRA, it was a fascinating conversation, with so much common ground to explore.
Farming, Profitability and Connection to the Land
Minette knows first-hand what it means to balance farming with diversification. Alongside her suckler herd and spring barley, her farm now hosts a wedding venue, holiday let, and cut-flower business. Yet, as she says:
None of it works without the beef herd, which is the base of our business. I am, first and foremost, a tenant farmer.
That perspective shapes her work on the forthcoming Farming Profitability Review, drawing on both her NFU experience and her life on the land. This year [2025] her farm saw 50% less silage and hay, underlining the risks climate change brings. “That risk and volatility is a very live issue,” she says.
The review has sparked huge engagement across the sector.
“I wrote to all our farmers, the supply chain, and to parliamentarians – sector by sector we asked their opinion on the blockages and the solutions.” And Minette is clear:
…we have got to have more farmers in the department and involved in policy.
Connections to the land
Throughout the conversation, Minette returned to the theme of connection. Whether calving every weekend herself, or remembering a tenant farmer who couldn’t imagine leaving the land, she stresses the importance of long-term relationships, investment and dialogue.
For us at the Ernest Cook Trust, this resonates deeply. Almost all of our 9,000 hectares is managed by tenant farmers, and we see every day how strong partnerships make both sides stronger.
Inspiring the next generation
Minette has seen how young people thrive outdoors: “Kids transform from being nervous and withdrawn to being massively engaged and energised on a farming project.”
We share her belief that the industry must do more to attract young people. Agriculture today is technical, digital and exciting — yet perceptions lag behind. Outdoor learning, farming visits and school projects can spark lasting interest, even shaping future careers.
Food, policy and people
From fruit-picking to soil health, Minette argues that food production and environmental delivery must go hand in hand. Incentives and education are as important as regulation. So if taxation on Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs) is one proverbial “stick” then, in Minette’s words,
...there must also be a ginormous carrot!
Ultimately, profitability, sustainability, and connection are inseparable. Farmers need access to the best science, advice and policy support to climb the ladder. And society needs stronger links between food, farming and people.
As Minette puts it:
“It’s in every body’s interest that we close this gap”
The new Farming Profitability Review (expected around the end of October 2025) offers hope, but also gives a call to action. Working together – farmers, educators, policymakers and communities can build a food system that works for people, nature and the land.
Read the full version of this abridged article on page 6 of our Autumn 2025 ‘Field Notes’ newsletter:
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