New Commissioner to champion tenant farmers across England
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-26)

Alan Laidlaw, an experienced CEO with more than 25 years’ experience in agriculture and land management, has been appointed to the new role.

- Independent tenant farming champion appointed to promote stronger relationships in the sector.
- Tenant farmers manage over a third of England’s farmland and are essential for food production and environmental recovery.
- Building a fairer and more profitable sector as the government delivers on the Plan for Change.
Tenant farmers across England will now benefit from the creation of the country’s first Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector.

Alan Laidlaw, an experienced CEO with more than 25 years’ experience in agriculture and land management, has been appointed to the new role. He will act as a trusted and impartial point of contact for tenants, landlords and advisors, ensuring fair practice and tackling poor behaviour across the sector.

The Commissioner will promote the standards set out in the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice, working closely with Defra and the Farm Tenancy Forum, the government–industry group that advises Defra on supporting and improving the farm tenancy sector in England.

His responsibilities include investigating complaints, tracking trends, offering guidance, and reporting regularly on tenant-landlord relations.

This appointment delivers on a key government commitment to support the tenanted sector, which manages a third of farmland in England, and secure a fair, profitable and sustainable farming future.

Secretary of State Emma Reynolds said:

Tenant farmers are the backbone of food production and play a vital role in caring for our countryside – I visited a tenant farm this week alongside our newly appointed Commissioner Alan Laidlaw to see their work and discuss how he can better support them.

Alan’s decades of experience in farming and land management make him uniquely placed to strengthen relationships and drive-up standards across the sector.

This appointment will provide an impartial voice between tenants and landowners to promote best practice and foster fair, collaborative relationships as we deliver on our Plan for Change to back farmers and build a sustainable future.

Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector Alan Laidlaw said:

I am honoured to be appointed as England’s first Commissioner for the tenant farming sector, supporting this vital sector with the fair framework it needs to thrive.

Having worked across farming, land management and the rural economy, I know how strong tenant-landlord relationships can drive innovation, resilience and shared success.

I look forward to working with farmers, landlords and advisors to promote best practice, address challenges, and help build a fair, profitable and sustainable future for tenant farming in England.

George Dunn, Chief Executive of the Tenant Farmers Association, said:

I warmly welcome the appointment of Alan Laidlaw to be the first Commissioner for the Tenant Farming Sector in England. Having worked with Alan previously, I am sure that he will be thorough, diligent and impactful in this important role.

Alan’s appointment marks a crucial step forward in cementing the industry-approved Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Code of Practice into the landlord tenant system of agriculture in England.

Alan’s appointment will bring focus on achieving better relationships between landlords and tenants for their mutual benefit and improvements in the conduct of all parties, including landlord’s agents. The TFA looks forward to supporting Alan in this vital work.

Biography
- Alan Laidlaw is an experienced CEO and respected voice in the UK’s rural, agricultural, and land management industries (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commissioner-for-the-tenant-farming-sector-role-and-services/alan-laidlaw-commissioner-for-the-tenant-farming-sector-biography), with over 25 years’ experience across public, private, and charitable organisations.
- Alan spent more than a decade on the senior management team at The Crown Estate, where he was responsible for a 250,000-acre UK-wide rural portfolio, one of the country’s largest agricultural tenanted estates.
- He introduced innovative tenancy agreements and co-investment models that delivered sustainable revenue growth for both tenants and the landowner.
- More information about Alan’s background, his ambitions for the role, and how he plans to work with the sector to strengthen relationships and collaboration between tenant farmers, landlords, and advisers can be found at this blog (https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2025/09/26/introducing-the-commissioner-for-the-tenant-farming-sector/).