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Paul-Wilsonweb

Nottingham food policy expert selected to provide expert insight to DEFRA Farm Profitability Review

Thursday, 15 May 2025

A food policy expert from the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ will play a key role in a DEFRA review to help find solutions to boost farm profitability.

Paul Wilson, Professor of Agricultural Economics and Director of the Centre for Food Policy and Foresight at the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´ has been invited to contribute to the DEFRA Farm Profitability Review led by Baroness Minette Batters.

Baroness Batters, an Honorary Associate Professor at the ÌÇÐÄÔ­´´’s Food System Institute, will lead the review and will focus on providing a combination of short, medium and long term farm profitability recommendations and actions for both Defra and the farming industry.

Defra has said the review will help develop its , farming roadmap and and will cover all sectors of the farming industry. Then review will engage with farmers and growers and other government departments whose work impacts farming.

Professor Wilson, who was personally invited by Baroness Batters to join the review, will draw on his 30 years’ research experience into the drivers of farm profitability and farm efficiency, plus his policy advisory experience, by providing evidence and insight to the review.

Professor Wilson said: “With the changes to support structures across English farming sectors, the drive to facilitate improvements in farm profitability has never been greater”

As former Principal Investigator of Defra’s Farm Business Survey contract for England, Professor Wilson additionally has a depth of understanding of the variation in farm profitability across sectors, and over time, which will be helpful for the review.

Data and evidenced informed policy making is a central pillar of our work in the Centre for Food Policy and Foresight. It is a privilege to be invited to contribute to the Defra Farm Profitability Review and to help ensure the review benefits from independent insight and research-driven outcomes.
Professor Paul Wilson

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More information is available from Professor Paul Wilson on Paul.Wilson@nottingham.ac.uk

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