Agriculture: EU Countries
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the European Commission's press release entitled Commission adopts temporary State aid framework to support sectors affected by Middle East crisis, published on 29 April 2026, what steps her Department plans to take to support the relative competitiveness of farmers compared to their EU counterparts.
Answered by Stephen Morgan
The Government understands the concerns of farmers and food producers regarding market volatility and are taking seriously the impacts of the Middle East Conflict on the food and farming sector.
Defra is investing £120m in 2026 on grants to boost productivity and innovation in the farming sector and ELM schemes continue to support English farmers to adopt farming practices which are less reliant on artificial fertiliser.
Defra is working with farmers to provide access to Government tools, such as the nutrient management planning tool, to boost fertiliser use efficiency, as well as consulting on plans to modernise fertiliser rules and diversify supply for farmers. The Government is determined to keep costs down for farmers as the war in Iran drives up global fuel prices and will continue to monitor the situation, including the EU’s response to the Middle East Crisis, to understand and address any impacts on food and farming.
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