Sustainable Farming and Food - Governance
The Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy (SFFS) Delivery Group and Leadership Group
In February 2006 Sir Don Curry was appointed by the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs to lead the governance of the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy (SFFS) for a further three years, but with a different group structure consisting of a small Delivery Group and a high level Leadership Group.
The Delivery Group is made up of independent people who are experienced deliverers in their own right and understand the particular challenges facing the industry and Government. The Delivery Group will work informally with officials, tackling barriers to progress and providing an early steer during scheme and policy development whilst the Leadership Group will act as ambassadors for the Strategy as well as providing a high-level challenge to Government on its delivery.
The groups will report to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
- 14 November 2008: Sir Don Curry’s Statement on the Importance of the County Farms Service (PDF 60 KB).
High Level Set-Aside Group
In September 2007, Hilary Benn asked Sir Don to set up a group of the heads of key organisations (NFU, CLA, RSPB, Environment Agency and Natural England) to oversee the monitoring work Defra put in place to assess the impacts of the announcement of a 0% set-aside level for 2008.
An interim report of this High Level Group on Set-Aside was passed to the Secretary of State in April 2008, and this along with the Secretary of State’s letter of thanks is available here:
- Farming and the environment: interim report of High Level Set-Aside Group (PDF 700 KB)
- Secretary of State Hillary Benn's letter to Sir Don Curry of 11 May 2008 (PDF 20 KB)
The final report of Sir Don Curry's High level Set-Aside Group was sent to Hilary Benn on 22 July 2008, the Group's conclusions are set out in Section 8 of the report and this, and its four Appendices, is attached below:
- Sir Don Curry's letter to Hillary Benn (PDF 25 KB)
- Final report of Sir Don Curry’s High Level Group (PDF 139 KB)
- Appendix 1 - A summary of the likely environmental impacts of a zero set-aside rate in England and potential mitigation measures (PDF 32 KB)
- Appendix 2 - Summaries of commissioned research (PDF 55 KB)
- Appendix 3 - Summary of main provisions relevant to former set-aside land (PDF 12 KB)
- Appendix 4 - Summary of options against criteria (PDF 30 KB)
Hilary Benn has responded to Sir Don, to thank him and his group for their report and a copy of his letter of reply is available:
Background
The previous independent SFFS Iplementation Group played a key role in driving forward the Strategy. The Implementation Group held its last meeting in April 2006 and produced a report on their reflections on SFFS progress.
- Sir Don Curry's statement on future governance of the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy (PDF 15 KB)
- Implementation Group Final Report ( PDF 80 KB)
Delivery Group Members
|
Sir Don Curry |
Chair |
|
Melanie Leech |
Food and Drink Federation |
|
Richard Macdonald |
National Farmers' Union |
|
Graham Wynne |
RSPB |
Rosemary Radcliffe |
Independent Economist |
Lord Whitty |
National Consumer Council |
Helen Browning |
England Implementation Group |
Kevin Roberts |
Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board |
Leadership Group Members
|
Sir Don Curry & Lord Rooker |
Co - Chairs |
|
Peter Kendall |
NFU |
|
Fiona Reynolds |
The National Trust |
|
Jonathon Porritt |
Sustainable Development Commission |
|
Iain Ferguson |
Tate and Lyle |
|
Justin King |
Sainsburys |
|
Graham Wynne |
RSPB |
Secretariat details
The secretariat for both groups is based in Defra. The secretariat should be contacted for queries regarding Delivery and Leadership Group meetings and the progress of their work:
SFFS Delivery Team
Defra
Area 5c, No. 9 Millbank
C/o Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
Diary Secretary: 020 7238 6084
Office: 020 7238 3130/4936/3029/6120
Fax: 020 7238 3137
Email: don.curry@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Page last modified:
14 November 2008
Page published: 21 July 2006