The Rock Review is a reminder that farm tenants have a vital role in delivering the government’s ambitions for the sector, the NFU has said.
The review, carried out by the Independent Tenancy Working Group, was published earlier this week, providing a new set of recommendations for both landlords and tenants.
It looked into accessibility within the government's financial schemes as well long-term changes in the tenanted sector.
The review comes following the formation of the independent Tenancy Working Group, chaired by Baroness Rock.
The group was established to identify and address concerns for the tenanted sector through the delivery of Environmental Land Management (ELM) and ongoing sector sustainability.
In response to the review, NFU vice president, David Exwood said government ministers must now respond swiftly following its publication.
“In such a comprehensive review there will be some differences to iron out," Mr Exwood said.
“As the NFU has long argued, the review stresses that landlords and tenants should be equal partners collaborating in this endeavour.
“Baroness Rock’s review and the NFU concur that ELMs must be accessible and relevant to tenants and landlords alike, and that county council farm estates are a key entry point for next generation farmers.”
NFU tenants forum chair, Chris Cardell reiterated how essential tenant farmers were to the industry, as over 60% of England’s farmed was farmed by tenants.
"They play a pivotal role in producing food for the nation and looking after our environment," Mr Cardell explained.
"That is why it is important that agricultural land in the tenanted sector is protected, and any loss minimised.
“The report is right to urge Defra and regulators to ‘tenant-proof’ their schemes, policies and processes, ensuring they are a benefit to all farmers, including tenant farmers, and therefore wider food production and environmental protection.”
The Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) said it 'welcomed and endorsed' the report, but warned that its recommendations could be 'quickly forgotten'.
"However, the TFA will be doing all it can to ensure that the valuable work carried out by the Tenancy Working Group will be taken seriously by this government and any which follows it," said TFA national chairman, Mark Coulman.
"The recommendations of the Rock Review hang together well and provide an extensive, thorough and clear blueprint for action with a host of easy wins that must not be missed."
The government said it would publish a formal response to the review in due course.
