What can we expect from an all-female team in Defra?

You would be forgiven for missing it, given the multiple scandals, the reshuffles, hiring and firings of the last 12 months of the Labour Government, but as someone working in the sector with a particular eye on getting more women into senior positions.

The appointment of Emma Reynolds MP as Secretary of State, alongside Dame Angela Eagle MP, Emma Hardy MP, Mary Creagh MP, and Baroness Hayman of Ullock, marks the first time Defra has ever been led by an all-female ministerial team. It is a milestone moment not only for politics but also for the food and farming sectors that depend so heavily on Defra’s leadership.

A fresh pair of eyes, a more diverse background and a differnt style of leadership could be just what Defra needs to make headway in decisions on food security, climate resilience, biodiversity, water management, and the future of rural communities.

Defra has long been regarded as a “political backwater”, somewhere that ministers go to 'do their time' we have had few that have taken the position s seriously as it should be taken and haven't seen it as a launch pad to biiger and better more 'exciting' opportunities in politics.

The widely held perception of Defra as a low-ranking department in Cabinet, often sidelined until a crisis erupts, is bizarre when you consider that its remit covers food, farming, and the environment — three issues central to our survival and prosperity.

An all-female team, often associated with more collaborative, empathetic, and risk-aware approaches, may be precisely what is needed to elevate Defra’s standing and ensure food and farming are treated as strategic national priorities rather than afterthoughts.

The first moves by the new Secretary of State, Emma Reynolds, show intent. On her very first day in office, she sat down with NFU President Tom Bradshaw to discuss pressing farmer concerns: inheritance tax proposals, uncertainty over agri-environment schemes, and the cumulative impact of international trade deals.

Bradshaw described the meeting as positive, adding:

“Our nation’s food security could not be more important… Farmers and growers want to produce more food, do more for the environment, and grow their businesses. Given the economic and social importance of our sector, I’m hopeful that Ms Reynolds’ economic background will help drive this investment forward.”

This kind of early, direct engagement with the farming community is exactly the sort of participatory approach many in the sector have long called for.

What can we expect from female leadership?

Academic research provides useful context for what we might expect from an all-female ministerial team at Defra.

• Collaborative decision-making: Women leaders are more likely to adopt transformational leadership styles, emphasising participation, inclusion, and mentoring (Eagly & Carli, 2003). For Defra, where trade-offs between farmers, retailers, and environmental groups are constant, this could lead to more balanced policymaking.

• Empathy and social sensitivity: Studies show women leaders score higher on empathy and social sensitivity (Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt & van Engen, 2003). This is invaluable for engaging stakeholders across the often divided worlds of farming, food, and conservation and could be key in aligning stakeholder priorities.

• Risk awareness: Women tend to adopt more precautionary approaches in public policy, particularly when dealing with uncertainty and systemic risks (Byrnes, Miller & Schafer, 1999). In Defra’s case, this could strengthen resilience planning on climate change, food supply shocks, and biosecurity.

• Role modelling: Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (1977) reminds us that representation matters. When women see other women leading at the highest levels, it expands their sense of what is possible. This all-female Defra team sends a powerful signal to women working across the food and farming supply chain: leadership is not only possible but visible and achievable.

Why Role Models Matter in Food and Farming

Women remain underrepresented in senior roles across agriculture, food processing, and rural policy. Leadership at Defra that visibly reflects gender diversity can inspire confidence and aspiration throughout the sector. Importantly, the five ministers do not share the same backgrounds. Their varied journeys, from grassroots union organising to Treasury policymaking, show there is no single route into leadership. That diversity of experience offers both inspiration and practical advantages in policymaking.

Who are they, where have they come from, and what is the scope of their challenge?

Emma Reynolds MP – Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs

• Previous Roles:

  • Economic Secretary to the Treasury (2025)

  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Pensions (2024–25)

  • Shadow Minister for Housing (2013–15)

  • Shadow Minister for Europe (2010–13)

• Strengths: Broad experience across Treasury, pensions, and foreign affairs—policy agility across domains.

• Lessons Learned: Past work in financial lobbying means transparency and stakeholder trust will be essential.

• Key Engagements Needed: NFU, CLA, Food & Drink Federation, major retailers, and international trade bodies.

• Scope of Influence: Strong financial policy connections; well-networked in Whitehall and international trade circles.

  
  

Dame Angela Eagle DBE MP – Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs

• Previous Roles:

  • Minister of State for Pensions (2009–10)

  • Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (2007–09)

  • Minister for Children (2005–07)

  • Parliamentary Under-Secretary at Department for Social Security (1997–98)

• Strengths: Longstanding political career with deep Treasury and pensions knowledge.

• Lessons Learned: Past dismissal from a ministerial role highlighted political resilience and adaptability.

• Key Engagements Needed: Farmers, processors, retailers, consumer advocacy groups.

• Scope of Influence: Parliamentary veteran with credibility in economic and fiscal policymaking; extensive networks to influence Treasury and Cabinet.

  
  

Emma Hardy MP – Minister for Water and Flooding

• Previous Roles:

  • Shadow Minister for Further Education and Universities (2018–19)

  • Shadow Minister for Schools (2017–18)

  • Former primary school teacher and NEU (teaching union) organiser

• Strengths: Grassroots campaigning background; strong record on flooding, water quality, and education advocacy.

• Lessons Learned: Inherited chronic underinvestment in flood defences; must show fast, tangible progress.

• Key Engagements Needed: Environment Agency, water companies, local councils, community and resilience groups.

• Scope of Influence: Regional campaigning strength (Hull and Yorkshire); credibility with grassroots organisations and unions.

  
  

Mary Creagh CBE MP – Minister for Nature

• Previous Roles:

  • Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2010–13)

  • Shadow Secretary of State for International Development (2013–14)

  • Shadow Transport Secretary (2014–15)

  • Chair of Environmental Audit Committee (2016–19)

• Strengths: Policy track record on biodiversity, food standards, and climate-linked finance.

• Lessons Learned: Short-lived Labour leadership bid (2015) underscored challenges in building broad political support.

• Key Engagements Needed: Natural England, Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, National Trust, regenerative farming groups, green finance stakeholders.

• Scope of Influence: Extensive NGO and environmental policy networks; recognised as a leading advocate for biodiversity and sustainability.

  
  

Baroness Hayman of Ullock – Lords Minister for Biosecurity and Animal Welfare

• Previous Roles:

  • Shadow Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson (House of Lords) (2020–25)

  • Elected MP for Workington (2015–19)

  • Opposition Whip in the Lords (2016–20)

  • First ever Lord Speaker (2006–2011, as Baroness Hayman — note distinction between Valerie Hayman and Helene Hayman of Ullock for clarity)

• Strengths: Deep House of Lords experience; balance in food production, land use, and animal welfare.

• Lessons Learned: Must navigate consensus-building across crossbench peers.

• Key Engagements Needed: Animal welfare NGOs (RSPCA, Compassion in World Farming), AWRN, veterinary bodies, Lords peers.

• Scope of Influence: Authority in the Lords with respect across parties; established credibility with animal welfare and constitutional stakeholders.

Conclusion

This first all-female ministerial team at DEFRA is more than a milestone. It’s a chance to change the way the department is seen and the way it operates. For too long, Defra has been treated as the poor relation in government, noticed only when something goes wrong. Yet food, farming and the environment are central to the economy, to communities and to our future.

What feels different now is the opportunity for leadership without ego or bluster. Leadership that listens, builds trust and brings people together - perhaps more female qualities that this department presiding over such divided agendas needs. Farmers, businesses and NGOs may not always agree, but with the right approach, they can be part of the same conversation and part of the same progress.

If this team delivers, it won’t just be about passing policies or getting legislation through. It will be about shifting Defra from the sidelines to the centre, where it belongs, and making sure food and farming are recognised as national priorities.

That’s the real prize in front of us.