‘There’s a lot of misinformation’: the truth behind DEFRA’s farm training
13th February 2026
“There has been a great deal of misinformation in the media surrounding DEFRA training on how British farms operate,” said Joe Stanley, head of training at the GWCT’s Allerton Project, speaking to Farmers Guide.
National media have recently reported that the Labour government will spend £650,000 of taxpayers’ money for civil servants to learn how the farming businesses work.
Farmers Guide has reached out to Joe Stanley from the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, which will be responsible for delivering the four-year-long Baseline Agricultural Training programme.
Mr Stanley explained that the £650,000 figure circulating publicly represented the maximum value of the bid. In reality, the Allerton Project – which researches the impact of different farming methods on wildlife and the environment – submitted a bid worth around half that amount.
“We set out a figure that we believed would deliver good value for taxpayers’ money, so it has been frustrating to see an incorrect amount, around double the true contract value, being bandied about.
“People are saying, ‘what a horrible waste of taxpayers’ money’, however, I would argue against that. This sort of training that we’re delivering to civil servants is pretty invaluable.”
Mr Stanley confirmed that around 600 civil servants from DEFRA, APHA, Natural England and the Rural Payments Agency will take part in the programme each year. The scheme includes a six-part online training course alongside a visit to one of four farms.
“We have the Allerton Project, which is primarily an arable farm, but also we do have some sheep, dairy, beef and mixed farms, so people who take part in the programme can choose a farm that they’re most interested in seeing,” he continued.
‘It’s not all about just DEFRA’
The expert explained that the online e-learning programme will give civil servants a basic overview of the UK agricultural sector and its individual components.
In the commercial module the participants will learn about farm economics as well as the fundamental concepts, such as what crop rotation is or how dairy cows are managed.
Mr Stanley added: “The majority of civil servants in DEFRA don’t have any prior experience of farming. It’s important that they understand the basics of farming, especially when they’re putting together policy or dealing with farmers on the ground.
“It’s also worth mentioning that those people can at some point go on to have jobs in other parts of the civil service, for example, in Treasury. Then hopefully they will take that knowledge with them and help the government understand us as an industry. It’s not all about just keeping this information within DEFRA; we would like also like to spread the knowledge throughout the government more generally.
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