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45-578: The Industrial Organisation and Development Act 1947 ( 10 & 11 Geo. 6 . c. 40) enabled the creation of industrial development boards with powers to raise levies from specific industrial sectors in the United Kingdom for co-ordinated action, particularly in research, marketing and industrial re-organisation. These Boards were to report to the Board of Trade and have equal representation from trades unions and employers alongside independent experts. During

90-635: A Hosiery Board was not established. Dissatisfaction with slow progress included an adjournment debate in 1948, where Labour backbencher Mr. A. Edward Davies MP stated that: In respect of furniture, pottery, mining, china clay, hosiery and cotton we were given an indication that the Government took the view that there might be set up with some useful results, development councils which would have some limited statutory power, and we had hoped that by this time greater progress could have been reported on what had been done in industry along those lines. The position today

135-566: A NFU Council member—stood as candidates. Tim Benntt successfully defeated Derek Mead. In late 2005, Derek Mead along with Farmers for Action chairman David Handley , established the pressure group Better NFU over what they saw as the failures of the NFU's leadership. Better NFU also received support from Zac Goldsmith and Robin Page . Following, the pressure groups' formation David Handley announced he would challenge sitting NFU President Tim Bennett for

180-512: A development board to be set up for the pottery industry, for example. Despite pressure from Labour backbenchers and the Trades Union Congress (TUC), plans for a Hosiery Development Board came to nothing. Wilson explained: "The employers in this industry are opposed to the establishment of a statutory Development Council. My aim has been to proceed in this matter as far as possible by agreement and I have not given up hope of doing so." But

225-745: A half-way house to nationalization Only four boards were created in first wave. These included bodies for the cotton industry , furniture and jewellery and silverware. The Wool Textile Research Council was established in 1950 which funded the Wool Industries Research Association . An order was made to create the Lace Research Association in 1948 and help for export promotion a little later with both activities funded by levies. However, suggestions for other development boards proved controversial, particularly among employers, while trades unions were more enthusiastic, pushing for

270-517: A horticultural development council, which was established in 1986. A Potato Industry Development Council (1997), Scottish Seed Potato Development Council (1981–1997) and Milk Development Council (1994) were all established under the Act. The Horticultural Development Council, the Milk Development Council , and British Potato Council were funded under the Act until 2008, when they were merged with

315-529: A last resort. In the event, the Act made the relations of the industrial concerns to the boards largely voluntary, excepting powers to oblige them to register with the Boards and pay levies to pay for the boards' activities. Historian Corelli Barnett quotes Harold Wilson , then President of the Board of Trade, as saying: "[they] largely depended for the success of their efforts on securing the agreement and co-operation of

360-587: A protest in London. The archives of the NFU are deposited with the Rural History Centre at Reading University . The NFU is registered as an employer association with the Certification Office for Trade Unions and Employers' Associations . Despite potential confusion due to "Union" being in the NFU's name, it is not a trade union. The NFU is governed by its constitution and rules, which state that

405-526: A specific research levy in 1960 and were granted it in 1962. Horticulturers requested support along these lines as well, as a replacement for the Horticultural Marketing Council. Levies to support other industry projects, mainly in research, found more support under the Wilson government of the 1960s. An Apple and Pear Development Council was created in 1966. In 1967, iron casting research funding

450-518: A time when farming was going through the longest and deepest depression in its history, as imports of cheap grain and frozen meat flooded in from abroad. The NFU stood six candidates in the 1918 general election , none of whom were elected. In the 1922 general election , it stood three unsuccessful NFU candidates under its own name, and sponsored four successful Conservative Party candidates. It again sponsored Conservative candidates in 1923 and 1935 elections, but has not done so since. Campbell

495-652: Is Aled Jones who has held the role since 2022. NFU Cymru is based at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells . NFU Cyrmu nominates one of the two employers' representatives on the seven-member Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales . The British Agriculture Bureau ( BAB ) is the joint office of the NFU, the National Farmers' Union of Scotland and Ulster Farmers' Union in Brussels . The BAB lobbies for

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540-750: Is an employer association representing farming and growing businesses within England and Wales . The NFU originated as the Lincolnshire Farmers' Union ( LFU ) which was founded in 1904. Over the next four years, similar farmers' organisations were established in neighbouring counties. In 1908, these organisations formed the current National Farmers' Union. Colin Campbell was its first president. The organisation has been led by Tom Bradshaw as president since 2024. The late 19th century coincided with increased struggle between three main groups: The rise of

585-453: Is cited as "39 & 40 Geo. 3. c. 67", meaning the 67th act passed during the session that started in the 39th year of the reign of George III and which finished in the 40th year of that reign. Note that the modern convention is to use Arabic numerals in citations (thus "41 Geo. 3" rather than "41 Geo. III"). Acts of the last session of the Parliament of Great Britain and the first session of

630-493: Is that unfortunately, apart from the cotton industry, little seems to have been achieved. In fact, we have had great and responsible organisations like the TUC criticising the Government for the delay in implementing the Act and bringing in development councils. Davies went on to explain that employers seemed to fear nationalisation or interference, and the equal representation from unions on the councils, adding that resisting modernisation

675-430: Is wanted is the initiative to agree upon the machinery and the will to make it work Employers, however, were suspicious of the proposed new arrangements: Employers' objections to development councils are attributed partly to a dislike of outsiders—or even union officials—having a say in the management of their industry, but perhaps more to anxiety lest the development council should prove, in spite of all assurances, to be

720-591: The Cameron–Clegg government , in 2013 the government prepared to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board —the body which had been responsible for regulating farm workers' wages. As pressure grew to maintain the board, the NFU lobbied in support of abolishing it. The government and the NFU were successful and in 2013 the board was abolished. In the same year, the NFU campaigned against the imposition of any cap on subsidies that farmers could receive. In 2016,

765-668: The Ethical Consumer Research Association published a report Understanding the NFU - an English Agribusiness Lobby Group . The report described the NFU as promoting policies that benefit big agribusinesses at the expense of farm workers pay and conditions, the environment, and animal welfare . During the Brexit referendum , the NFU Council voted overwhelmingly to endorse the Remain campaign , but did not actively campaign on

810-562: The Liberal Party in the 1906 UK general election , many farm owners took revenge against farmers suspected of radical views or of Liberal sympathies. On 20 July 1906, the Eastern Counties Agricultural Labourers & Small Holders Union was formed in an attempt to combat these retributions, and further renew unionisation efforts among farmworkers. Further angered in their opposition to potential land reform by

855-646: The Liberal government , the Central Land Association (CLA) was formed to represent landlords ' interests against their farmers, and against the Liberal government. In 1904, the Lincolnshire Farmers' Union ( LFU ) was founded to represent tenant farmers, in part against both increasingly unionised farmworkers, and against landlords. On 10 December 1908, a meeting was held at the Smithfield Show to discuss

900-489: The Second World War the Board of Trade made plans for post-war industry boards that would report to an Industrial Commission, each with significant powers. The boards would be "responsible for a range of closely inter-related projects ... all concerned with various aspects of industrial efficiency in the widest sense – re-equipment, re-organisation, development of new ideas ..." and granted powers of compulsory purchase as

945-586: The Shirley Institute for the cotton industry, had an international reputation in their fields, and very talented scientists developed their careers there. However, similar research institutes developed in other industries through a combination of direct funding and voluntary arrangements, such as the British Rubber Producers Research Association or British Rayon Research Association . Later, limited schemes to raise levies under

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990-550: The labour movement saw farmworkers organise agricultural trade unions such as the Lincolnshire Labour League and the Warwickshire Agricultural Labourers Union . These unions initially achieved modest victories and growth, but a series of unsuccessful attempts to use collective action resulted in the decline and dissolution of early farmworkers' unions. In response to the victory of

1035-523: The list of acts of the Parliament of England and the list of acts of the Parliament of Scotland . For acts passed from 1707 to 1800, see the list of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain . See also the list of acts of the Parliament of Ireland . For acts of the devolved parliaments and assemblies in the United Kingdom, see the list of acts of the Scottish Parliament , the list of acts of

1080-466: The Act for research or marketing gained the support of specific industries, particularly in the agricultural sector. The use of levies to support this work continues, although no statutory organisation uses the powers of the Act today. 10 %26 11 Geo. 6 Note that the first parliament of the United Kingdom was held in 1801; parliaments between 1707 and 1800 were either parliaments of Great Britain or of Ireland . For acts passed up until 1707, see

1125-896: The British Agriculture Bureau to represent their interests in the European Economic Community and later the European Union . In 2000, with the National Farmers' Union of Scotland , the Ulster Farmers' Union , and other farming and food organisations, the NFU founded the Assured Food Standards company which administers the Red Tractor food quality mark. In 2003 Ben Gill stood down as NFU president. Both deputy president Tim Bennett , and Derek Mead—a founding member of Farmers for Action (FFA) as well as

1170-591: The British farming industry in regards to European Union policy. List of presidents of the NFU since 1945: Barnard was also sponsored by the National Party . Blundell, Bruford, Lamb and Shepperson stood for the Conservative Party. All candidates stood for the Conservative Party. Both candidates stood for the Conservative Party. in the 1935 general election, two candidates were sponsored and elected for

1215-584: The Home-Grown Cereals Authority and Meat and Livestock Commission. They operate as separate bodies, levy-funded by their industries, but are administered under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 as a single body: the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board . Other than agriculture, levies were still being raised on the wool textile industries to promote exports in

1260-412: The NFU shall maintain a number of bodies which are responsible for the governance of the NFU. These include the NFU Council, Governance Board, Policy Board, National Commodity Boards, Regional Commodity Boards, an Audit and Remuneration Committee and Legal Board and Regional Boards. The NFU is led by its president (currently Tom Bradshaw since 2024). The position is elected by the 92 member NFU Council,

1305-562: The NFU's governing body . The NFU is closely associated with the insurance company NFU Mutual . Prior to its abolition in 2013, the National Farmers' Union nominated eight employers' representatives to the Agricultural Wages Board of England and Wales. NFU Cymru is the constituent Welsh branch of the NFU. It was formed in 1999 in response to Welsh devolution and the formation of the Welsh Senedd . NFU Cymru's current president

1350-519: The Northern Ireland Assembly , and the list of acts and measures of Senedd Cymru ; see also the list of acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland . The number shown after each act's title is its chapter number. Acts passed before 1963 are cited using this number, preceded by the year(s) of the reign during which the relevant parliamentary session was held; thus the Union with Ireland Act 1800

1395-502: The Parliament of the United Kingdom are both cited as "41 Geo. 3". Acts passed from 1963 onwards are simply cited by calendar year and chapter number. Continuing the first session of the 38th Parliament of the United Kingdom , which met from 1 August 1945 until 6 November 1946. The second session of the 38th Parliament of the United Kingdom , which met from 12 November 1946 until 20 October 1947. National Farmers Union (England and Wales) The National Farmers' Union ( NFU )

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1440-600: The development boards were quickly abolished. These were the Clothing Industry Development Council, abolished in 1952, and the Jewellery and Silverware Council in 1953. Both Boards had run into disagreements between their members about how to proceed. The Cotton Board, unlike other boards, had received support from its industry. It was used to help reorganise the industry in the late 1950s. Large scale government investment particularly to replace old equipment

1485-489: The establishment of development councils could not be delayed much longer "without harming the immediate future and long-term prospects of industry" The TUC, in the face of the need to increase domestic exports and production, believed that: War-time experience showed that it was well worth while to appoint a special committee—a joint production committee—to concentrate on production problems. The form which regular consultation should take must vary from industry to industry; what

1530-550: The first decade of the 21st century. They were paid to the National Wool Textile Export Corporation. However, in 2007, a consultation was run to remove this levy and a Statutory Instrument to revoke it was passed in 2008. Clearly, the Act was not used extensively to reorganise British industry as originally envisaged. The Act proved controversial at first, as it was seen as an attempt to increase government control of industry, union influence and perhaps pave

1575-478: The formation of a national organisation formed from the LFU. The meeting resulted in the formation of the National Farmers' Union . By 1913, it had 20,000 members—a majority being tenant-farmers—and excluded landowners but allowed owner-occupying farmers. The NFU's first president, Colin Campbell , worked to get new branches off the ground, encourage membership and establish the NFU's credibility with government, at

1620-508: The individual undertakings in an industry". Barnett concludes that: Given that the British industrial system was deeply, doggedly resistant to reform, and no parts more so than those most hidebound and therefore in need of reform, such agreement and co-operation proved hard to find. Slow progress in setting up the Development Councils caused frustration among trades unions, and particularly the Trades Union Congress , who warned in that

1665-483: The issue. In the lead-up to the referendum, the NFU commissioned a report by Wageningen University which found that two of three Brexit scenarios could increase farm-gate prices. In 2018, the NFU Council elected Minette Batters , deputy president of the NFU since 2014, as the NFU's president. She defeated the only other candidate, Guy Smith, who became her deputy. She stepped down as president in February 2024 and

1710-510: The position. Handley said wished to see the NFU be more proactive and democratic, while his opponents feared he would turn the NFU into a larger version of the FFA. Deputy President Peter Kendall also announced his candidacy. Peter Kendall won ahead of both in the 2006 leadership contest. Handley would describe Kendall as more collaborative than prior NFU Presidents. As a part of the UK quango reforms by

1755-533: The then Labour Government had a double industrial programme; for certain industries, nationalisation; for others, development councils. In the light of history I think it will be judged that the Industrial Organisation Act, 1947, has failed, not because of any defect in the conception but because people feared that the development council was the thin end of the wedge of nationalisation. Under Churchill's new Conservative government, elected in 1951, two of

1800-419: The way for nationalisation. Only four development boards were created under the 1945–51 Labour government. Of the major industries, only cotton saw a powerful Board created from the Act that went on to play a strategic role in helping change its industry. On the other hand, the Act provided a useful mechanism to find funding for marketing and research. Establishments such as Wool Industries Research Institute, or

1845-419: Was facilitated by the Board, but a combination of a credit squeeze, cheaper imports led to a crisis of confidence. The re-organisation was not wholly successful. The Cotton Board was abolished in 1972, after completing a major report into the future of the industry. Many of its recommendations, particularly the use of tariffs to limit imports rather than quotas, had been accepted. The cutlery industry requested

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1890-520: Was obtained through the Act followed by support for hosiery research in 1969. Unlike the first wave of Industrial Boards, the responsibilities of these bodies were generally more limited and industry support clearer. Further industry requests for levy schemes to support agriculture came during the Conservative governments of the 1980s and 1990s, for instance from the National Farmers Union for

1935-425: Was succeeded as NFU President in 1921 by Richard Robbins , an employers' representative on the Agricultural Wages Board . On 3 December 1955, 12 Welsh members of the NFU left and formed the rival Farmers' Union of Wales . Verley Merchant, the NFU's Welsh Secretary, responded to the formation by saying "We will smash you in three months". In 1972, the NFU, alongside other farming employers' associations, set up

1980-520: Was succeeded by Tom Bradshaw without any challengers. In the October 2024 budget , the Labour government announced reforms to inheritance tax which revoke the exemptions for agricultural estates. From April 2026, these estates will be taxed at 20% (half the standard rate) but the first £1   million of the property value will continue to be exempt. The NFU opposed the reforms, and responded by organising

2025-408: Was unreasonable. He particularly lamented the lack of progress in the pottery industry which he had been championing. For Davies and the TUC, therefore, development councils were expected to be a key part of industrial planning and modernisation. From a Conservative point of view, the Act was a failure because of mistrust of the intentions of the administration. Aubrey Jones MP said in 1952: in 1945,

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