After years of being squeezed by uneven contracts and opaque pricing, Britain’s arable farmers may finally gain stronger protections as ministers launch a review targeting deep-rooted supply chain imbalances, aiming to deliver clearer contracts and fairer treatment for growers across the crops sector.
The eight-week consultation, launched on Wednesday (10 December), will gather views on standards, sampling and testing procedures, supply volumes, data sharing and dispute resolution. It follows long-standing concerns from growers about opaque pricing and uneven bargaining power.
Government officials say the findings will shape proposals to guarantee farmers transparent pricing and clearly defined contract terms, helping to address imbalances that have persisted for years.
Crucially, the review could lead to enforceable rules on pricing transparency, more consistent testing requirements and clearer obligations for buyers — measures aimed at reducing disputes and giving growers firmer footing when planning crops and investments.
The government argues that improving fairness across the supply chain is central to food security and the resilience of domestic production.
Dame Angela Eagle said farmers “should have confidence that the contracts they sign are fair and transparent and work as they should”. She added that the consultation gives growers a key opportunity to highlight where change is most needed.
By “improving clarity and ensuring fair and transparent contracts”, she said, the government is backing British producers through its Plan for Change and helping secure a resilient future for the sector.
The initiative builds on Fair Dealing rules already in place for dairy and pigs, with similar work progressing for eggs and fresh produce. The rules, enforced through the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator, aim to tackle contractual unfairness wherever it occurs.
The consultation also aligns with wider work to protect farmers in trade agreements, strengthen supply chain resilience, ease pressures on consumers and support an innovative food sector under the Good Food Cycle.
The NFU said the review represents a long-overdue chance to correct years of imbalance between growers and buyers. Combinable Crops Board Chair Jamie Burrows said that “for too long, there has been an imbalance of power within the combinable crops supply chain, with growers being treated unfairly and shouldering the largest burden of risk”.
He argued that stronger protections and fairer terms are essential if growers are to secure “a stronger voice, better protection and fairer returns for the food they produce”.
Burrows pointed to the NFU’s Harvesting Growth strategy, stressing that clear, reliable contracts would give farmers the confidence to plan and invest for the long term.
He said he is confident the consultation can help build a sector “where fairness and trust are paramount” and ensure UK growers can continue producing sustainable food for 70 million people.
The NFU will gather farmers' views for its submission and is urging arable farmers to complete the survey and encourage others to do the same.
