The work of the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ Better Regulation Task Force and the impact of red tape on farms will be discussed by its chair, Richard Macdonald, the ex-director general of the National Farmers’ Union, at a seminar for Essex farmers on March 20. Savills annual Essex farmers’ breakfast, which is by invitation only, will be held from 8.15am at Braxted Hall, near Witham.Mr Macdonald has chaired the Better Regulation Task Force since 2010, the focus of which is on striking a regulatory balance in order to retain standards but remain competitive.

He is also a board member of the Environment Agency, a governor of the Royal Agricultural College, a non-executive director for Dairy Crest and Moy Park and chair of the Farm Africa board of trustees.

Event organiser David Lancaster from Savills Chelmsford said: “We are delighted that Richard Macdonald can join us at the seminar. Red tape and regulation play a huge role in the agricultural industry with far reaching ramifications for business and farm management. It can often be a challenge to keep up to date with the changes and so we expect the topic to create debate.”