THE NFU'S number one focus is to win part payments for farmers who have been told they will have to wait for delayed CAP payments.

Minette Batters, NFU deputy president, said the priority was to have Environment Secretary Liz Truss and the Rural Payments Agency make part payments to farmers having to wait for money under the Basic Payment Scheme.

Ms Batters was addressing the Northern beef and sheep conference, held by the NFU and AHDB Beef and Lamb, at the Holiday Inn Scotch Corner on Tuesday.

A show of hands from the audience appeared to show the majority had not received their payment – but had not received a letter from the RPA saying it was delayed.

Ms Batters also said Natural England and the Environment Agency had a long way to go to achieve the Government's mission of working in partnership with farmers,

"Nowhere has the capricious nature of government policy been felt more than in the hills," she said. "A generation ago farmers were paid to put in grips – drainage channels – and drain and lime the land. Today we are asked to do the exact opposite. Farming is, by its very nature long term, and we need policies that set out long term goals."

Many farmers felt betrayed by the new environmental stewardship scheme which was not farmer friendly. "I think it is clearly time we had environmental schemes that are underpinned by science," said Ms Batters.

Retail price wars, difficult trade conditions and poor farmgate prices have all created significant challenges for farmers.

Red tape was still the number one "blocker" to farmer confidence; the government must grapple with the "often confusing and outdated system of movement regulations."

"2016 will see the start of the '10 mile rule' rollout, which will mean that moves within 10 miles of the farm will not need to be recorded or reported," she said.

"This is a fantastic win, but we still need the government to review the six day standstill before the 2018 date they are currently committed to."

Ms Batters said legislation affecting other parts of the food chain was woefully inadequate and called for greater regulation on abattoirs, an end of practices such as "rounding down", and the introduction of a voluntary code of practice for sheep.

But despite all the challenges Ms Batters said there were also massive opportunities.

The livestock industry needs long term clear market signals and she welcomed the Government's plan for a 25 year Food and Farming strategy.

"This is very much an NFU success. We put the need for a comprehensive food and farming plan at the heart of our Election manifesto asks for the next government, making a clear case based on the country's shameful 30 year decline in self-sufficiency.

"The government's headline announcements are encouraging with the aim of establishing robust food policies in preparation for a future predicted to see our population rise to 75 million in just 20 years."

She said promotion and marketing was fundamental to building a strong future for the livestock sector.

It was "fundamentally important" to maintain the British Red Tractor assurance scheme and more work was needed to differentiate different beef and lamb products.

She said: "I believe beef and lamb has a lot to learn from the poultry industry which has given consumers choice – from broiler, to free range and organic – and a choice to pay for quality and eating experience.

"For too long we have allowed beef and lamb to be commoditised by some retailers and processors. In their book beef is beef and lamb is lamb.

"|We must do everything possible to add value to our meat and shout much louder about our environmentally friendly production systems, centred largely on our ability to grow great quality grass."