AGRICULTURE
British farming needs reform to take advantage of Brexit.
Farming is in crisis and our food security is at risk. Government subsidies force farmers to meet environmental targets instead of producing food. Fuel and fertiliser costs have spiralled. Farmers have to deal with huge amounts of paperwork. Farmland is being lost to re-wilding and solar farms. High energy costs and supermarket price fixing has pushed many farmers to bankruptcy. Rural communities are dying.
Critical reforms needed in the first 100 days:
Increase the farming budget to £3 Billion.
Focus on smaller farms. Keep farmland in use. Bring young people into farming. Boost rural economy and culture. Increase innovation and diversification. Help farmers to farm, not pay them to leave or retire.
Scrap climate-related farming subsidies.
Productive land must be farmed, not be used for solar farms or rewilding. Replace current subsidies with direct payments. Stop Natural England from taking action that damages farmers.
Protect Country sports.
These increase investment in conservation of our environment. They boost rural jobs, communities and local economies.
Thereafter:
Stop supermarket price fixing.
Grant powers to the Competitions and Markets Authority to ensure fair pricing. Help farmers sell their produce directly to the public. Change planning laws to support farm shops with zero business rates.
Buy British. Buy quality.
Little more than half the food we consume is UK produced. Target 70% to ensure food security. Taxpayer funded organisations should source 75% of their food from the UK. Clear labelling for consumer choice. Boost smaller food processors and abattoirs through tax breaks and other incentives. This cuts transport costs and promotes animal welfare.
Farming not form filling.
Many farmers spend over 15 hours a week on paperwork. Cut red tape from HMRC and the British Cattle Movement Service.
Future technology & fertiliser supplies.
Farmers must have access to new technology to boost production and cut costs. UK food security also depends on fertiliser supply and production.
Encourage young people into farming.
Offer subsidised courses at Agricultural Colleges and apprenticeships to help young people learn farming ‘craft’ and business management.
