E88 George Eustice: The Political Environment

George Eustice was a Minister in DEFRA for nine years including almost three years in Cabinet.  He brought into law the Agriculture Act 2020, the Environment Act 2021 and the Fisheries Act 2020 which together established the main policy frameworks for the post EU era.  He also developed most of the policies under the Future Agriculture Programme including the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Landscape Recovery Fund.  Before entering politics he worked for ten years in the family farming business in Cornwall and he studied horticulture at Writtle College.  He campaigned to leave the EU but resigned from Theresa May’s government in order to make the case for a compromise built around membership of EFTA and the EEA.  Since leaving Government he has built his own consultancy business, Penbroath, which specialises in the environment and agri-tech.