The National Sheep Association (NSA) is calling on new Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ranil Jayawardena, to put British farming at the forefront of decision making following his appointment by new Prime Minister Liz Truss.

NSA chief executive Phil Stocker said: “NSA is looking forward to working closely with Mr Jayawardena to ensure that British producers can continue to provide high quality, sustainable food for the nation and beyond.

“The appointment comes at a particularly difficult and turbulent time for British agriculture. Mr Jayawardena appears to have little existing knowledge of agriculture or land management, having rarely engaged on related subjects in the House of Commons. 

“However, he will be judged on the actions going forward rather than his previous history and the most important thing he can do is to listen and quickly get to grips with the farming sectors. NSA would advocate the absolute importance of stability and continuity amongst government to ensure businesses are able to navigate uncertainties within the marketplace.”