A well-known farmers' leader told me he met Hillary Benn recently and it was the least productive meeting he had ever had with him. Why?
Because Mr Benn was expecting to be reshuffled if the local election results were bad; Defra would have a new head.
I believe that one of the reasons Defra is failing farmers and the need for better policies so badly is because being minister-in-charge is seen as only a stepping stone in an MP's career.
From Margaret Beckett to Hillary Benn, we only have ministers on their way up or on their way down, not ones who are likely to hang around for the long-term.
We should see the reintroduction of a Minister for Agriculture at cabinet level – with a leader appointed who would change Defra's attitude towards encouragement of food production in a balanced way.
Over the past few months, a huge chasm has appeared between the needs of the real world and the policies of the UK Government.
The huge increase in demand for cereals, exploding world population and last year's poor worldwide harvest have left this country's land management policies looking, at best, not fit for purpose.
The mantra of reduced production, set-aside and environmental protection at any cost is looking economically and morally flawed when the average weekly food bill has increased by 15 per cent.