The Government has signed a £650,000 contract to give civil servants a first-hand introduction to farming, amid growing criticism that agricultural policy is being designed by officials with little practical understanding of rural life.
The four-year agreement, awarded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), will see staff take part in a mix of classroom learning and on-farm visits designed to improve understanding of how farms operate and the challenges farmers face.
The contract has been awarded to the Allerton Project, run by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), and is intended to address what Defra describes as gaps in agricultural knowledge among officials responsible for shaping farming and environmental policy.
Joe Stanley, head of training at the Allerton Project, said the scheme would provide a basic grounding for staff making decisions that directly affect the farming sector.
“Most Defra staff are not from farming backgrounds, yet they have to make important decisions that affect the agricultural industry,” he said. “This contract enables us to share our knowledge and upskill the Defra team, providing a solid foundation to assist in policy and practice.”
Spread across four years, the programme costs around £162,500 annually, a modest sum in the context of Defra’s £1.06 billion administration budget in 2023–24. That figure has risen from approximately £940 million the previous year, reflecting increased staffing and responsibilities following Brexit and the rollout of new environmental land management schemes.
However, critics argue that even a relatively small training contract highlights deeper concerns about the size, cost and effectiveness of the civil service. Overall public-sector productivity remains below pre-pandemic levels, despite higher spending and staff numbers, prompting questions over whether increased budgets are translating into better outcomes.
Victoria Atkins, shadow environment secretary, said the need for such training underlined a longstanding disconnect between Whitehall and the countryside.
“It will not be a surprise to any farmer to learn that many civil servants, like the current crop of ministers they serve, have no clue about farming or the countryside,” she said. “As hard-pressed taxpayers struggle with ever-higher taxes, they will rightly ask what else ministers are wasting money on.”
The programme is expected to include visits to working farms, offering many participants their first direct exposure to commercial agriculture and environmental land management in practice. Supporters argue that even limited experience could lead to better-designed schemes and improved value for money over time.
But some farmers remain sceptical. Gareth Wyn Jones, a sheep farmer from Llanfairfechan in Conwy, said the Government was approaching the issue the wrong way round.
“They definitely are doing things backwards - they need farmers advising them,” he said.
Ian Lomas, a dairy farmer from Matlock in Derbyshire, questioned whether short visits could provide meaningful insight, suggesting that recruiting more officials with farming backgrounds might offer better long-term value.
The initiative comes against a backdrop of growing strain within the farming sector. A recent Government-commissioned review led by former NFU president Baroness Minette Batters warned that many farmers had been left 'bewildered and frightened' by recent policy changes, including reforms to inheritance tax and agricultural support.
A Defra spokesperson defended the training scheme, saying it formed part of a broader effort to rebuild trust with the sector.
“We’re backing British farmers as part of a new era of partnership to create a productive, profitable and sustainable future for farming,” the spokesperson said. “Farmers’ experience remains central to our policy decision-making, and this programme will help staff develop a practical understanding of on-farm realities.”
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