Written question asked by James McMurdock (Independent (affiliation)) on Friday, 28 August 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 September 2026. It was answered by Stephen Morgan (Labour) on Monday, 7 September 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Farmer Collaboration Fund

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Department's press release entitled New support to help farmers thrive for generations, published on 16 July 2026, what metrics will be used to evaluate the success of the Farmer Collaboration Fund.

Answer: The Government will measure success by looking at the practical changes farmers make as a result of being part of collaboration groups. That includes actions which strengthen their businesses, as well as delivering benefits for the environment, food production, and animal health and welfare. An external monitoring and evaluation organisation will coordinate annual surveys of participating farmers to assess the impact the fund has had on their business. Grant recipients will also submit annual reports describing their successes and areas for improvement.

Secondary information