{"value":{"id":810296,"askingMemberId":177,"askingMember":null,"house":"Commons","memberHasInterest":false,"dateTabled":"2017-12-20T00:00:00","dateForAnswer":"2018-01-08T00:00:00","uin":"120762","questionText":"To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what further support he plans to provide for agricultural cooperation; and if he will make a statement.","answeringBodyId":13,"answeringBodyName":"Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs","isWithdrawn":false,"isNamedDay":true,"groupedQuestions":[],"answerIsHolding":false,"answerIsCorrection":false,"answeringMemberId":3934,"answeringMember":null,"correctingMemberId":null,"correctingMember":null,"dateAnswered":"2018-01-09T00:00:00","answerText":"<p>Cooperation is a powerful way for farmers and growers to improve their negotiating power, share machinery, labour, storage and other resources, and access knowledge and skills from others. The latest CLA survey of its farmer members shows that nine in ten respondents collaborate in some way; largely to make their businesses more successful and access new opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>We meet regularly with Cooperatives UK to discuss the potential for further collaboration in the agricultural sector, and we have backed the formation of formal Producer Organisations (POs). From 1 January 2018, changes to EU agricultural rules as a result of the ‘Omnibus’ regulation will strengthen the rights of POs and encourage large scale collaboration in all sectors.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p>","originalAnswerText":"","comparableAnswerText":"","dateAnswerCorrected":null,"dateHoldingAnswer":null,"attachmentCount":0,"heading":"Agriculture: Cooperatives","attachments":[],"groupedQuestionsDates":[]},"links":[{"rel":"self","href":"/Questions/810296","method":"GET"}]}