Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to help increase the number of agricultural co-operatives and mutuals.

The Government strongly supports the benefits co-operatives, producer organisations and mutuals can bring in buying inputs, coordinating production, and selling outputs, and recognises the important role they play in promoting sustainable farming and supporting rural communities, as set out in the recently published Farming Roadmap. The Government will ensure supply chains work fairly, including supporting co-operatives so farmers strengthen their bargaining power. Defra is also developing the new Farmer Collaboration Fund to support farmers working together to become more profitable, resilient and environmentally sustainable.