Caroline Spelman gave a rabble-rousing performance at this years' Oxford Farming Conference in which she condemned any country wishing to prioritize national food security and urged British farmers to increase competitiveness and embrace "sustainable intensification".
The Conference, as it is affectionately known among the UK's largest commercial farmers, is the pinnacle of the agri-business year. A modern kind of harvest festival where bushels of corn are replaced by genome models on the stand of the Biotechnology Research Council, and Syngenta and Agrovista step in to sponsor the refreshments.
It appears Mrs Spelman, Minister for Defra, has seamlessly dovetailed her previous 20 years experience as an agri-business PR advisor, with the need for an new green image for the industry. Her speech is well worth a second viewing for readers wanting tips on how to fill half an hour with media soundbites while relaying absolutely nothing of substance.
As question time came around, Spelman it appears was in her stride. The first question from the floor asked what advice she would give to young people finding it difficult to get into agriculture. Referring to the oft-quoted "perfect storm" of factors facing global food security Spelman responded - "I would put it to young people thinking of going into farming that they will be the riders of the perfect storm. If you can see yourself as the rider of the perfect storm then you have every good reason to go into agriculture."
Despite a subsequent request to the Defra press office asking just what, exactly, Mrs Spelman was trying to convey I'm still weighing-up whether I should be investing in a new plough or a pair of Boardies.
Watch Spelman's speech in full here:
www.breezeandfreeze.co.uk/ofc2011/conference/Wed_speakers_2.mp4