Paying farmers to 'do nothing' happens across mainland Europe, just as it does here. I have to look out daily (in France) over a huge field of Brambles as proof. I can understand these young farmers' (below) reluctance to lose their 'money for nothing', but I, for one, hope they do.
The rather pompous sounding Government's 'Environmental Land Management Scheme' is simply another way of saying 'leave your land permanently fallow and we'll pay you good money to watch the weeds grow'.
These days we really need our farmers to grow things; preferably edible ones. Our need for fruit, veg', meat, milk, eggs, and grains, will only get greater. As a nation we must import less, and produce more. The last time we were in a similar situation was during, and after, WW2 when 'Dig for Victory' became the byword. There has to be a new 'Return to the Land', and we must make sure that those who do are well remunerated.
Most farmers have the kit required for preparing soil, sowing, or planting. All they need is the incentive. Farmers have always been concerned for the environment without having to be paid, and they will again. It's in their interest to look after their own land. Paying people not to do what they do best is pure irresponsibility. I did note that the protesters above all seem quite young. I imagine they're all looking for a quiet life on Daddy's farm once they leave the RAC Cirencester
As an example, I recently bought a jar of Gherkins that hailed from Poland; why are these not grown and bottled in the UK? Nothing is easier to grow and process; I used to grow them commercially in France myself! This is outrageous. Whilst the government is paying our farmers to sit at home and (I imagine) listen to The Archers, we are supporting Polish farmers who are actually prepared to grow what other countries need.
A government report into the continuity of these unnecessary ELMS payments is about to be published any day, and I for one hope that they see sense, and are stopped. Would the Ministry of Art and Culture (?) have paid me not to paint? Of course not, nor should they pay farmers not to farm.
Let's make sure our farmers are well paid to produce what the country needs, and not to sit around watching the weeds grow. We grubbed-up acres and acres of Apple orchards to placate the EU, now is the time to accept what folly that was, and get planting again.
The UK is a 'green and pleasant land', and there isn't a lot we can't grow here (other than the obvious). Time to roll up those sleeves, and get out on the land. Your Country Needs You.
The British farmers are not signing up for the scheme. They prefer to farm.
ReplyDeleteGood for them, I've seen first-hand what detrimental effect it has on the countryside. We need our farmers to farm.
DeleteStep 1 - remove all arts/PPE graduates from any involvement in DEFRA and replace with real live farming community leaders (or even Jeremy Clarkson)
ReplyDeleteStep 2 - get rid of all legacy EU rules, regulations, laws etc across the board unless demonstrably in the interests of the UK
Step 3 -get UK people off benefits and into employment to replace migrant workers (in my youth hop picking in Kent, spud bashing on farms were rites of passage for youngsters)
I think your list should be sent to the Min of Ag'.
DeleteStep 4 -then sack half the bureaucrats and give them something productive to do.
DeleteFarming maybe?
DeleteFarmers would farm if the financial return was adequate. There is something wrong in the chain that means they are not correctly paid for what they produce.
ReplyDeleteMany farmers have also been encouraged to buy extremely expensive hi-tech tractors etc, and will be paying off the loans for years. They need to be more realistic, and to be paid well for what they produce.
DeleteYes Andrew, it is called the supermarket.
DeleteDidn't we hear last week during all the recent protests, a young protester in the street saying "We need to close down all Farms in Britain for the sake of our environment." What a crazy idea.
ReplyDeleteWe're just buying our last crops of English Strawberries from our Kent and Essex Farms. Imagine a Summer without English Strawberries.
It's a sad state of affairs when the more radical youth of our country say such stupid things. They don't seem to understand what they're protesting about. Not unlike the anti-Oil protesters spraying Oil-based paint on buildings.
DeleteFrom my observations of trying to recruit staff just a few years ago, I am not at all surprised that these protesters are wanting to close the farms - they will almost certainly not have been taught where food comes from, and probably have never seen any agriculture or horticulture close-up to realise what it takes to feed them.
DeleteWe are fortunate to have our small but productive local farming community here but many are struggling financially. Once they are gone we are at the mercy of off island importers.
ReplyDeleteWe only realise what we had, once it's gone!
DeleteThere are many things that I do not understand in this life and paying farmers to set aside land is one of them.
ReplyDeleteIf a farmer wishes to preserve certain tracts of land for wildlife or forestry, then that's fine, but to pay him/her to do nothing is bizarre. I notice in the photo above that even the girl (bottom right) is hiding her face in shame. So she should!
DeleteAgree
ReplyDeleteGood.
DeleteThis morning I read that Ukrainian wheat is held-up in ports but 200,000 tonnes of wheat are now scheduled to go to Indonesia. Many US farmers are also being paid not to farm. Our grocery stores bring in produce from all over the world (lots from Peru lately). This produce is tasteless and very hard. Every city and town has a local farmer's market and their products are far superior.
ReplyDeleteA lot of Spanish Veg' is imported into the UK, it's grown in HUGE greenhouses, and as you say is tasteless. I once bought some Spanish Asparagus by mistake, and it had no flavour whatsoever.
DeleteSo much sense being written in these posts. Well done Cro (and Will)
ReplyDeleteThank you Gilly. I do try to be the voice of reason.
DeleteWill we ever learn?
ReplyDeleteSadly it seems not. I remember so well when the EU told the UK to grub-up most of their Apple orchards. It was total madness, and the French were laughing all the way to the bank. I like to think that we'll soon be sending Apples south of The Channel.
DeleteThe way to go in my opinion, is small mixed farming, like back in the old days when a farm had a cow or two, maybe a goat, and grew a couple of acres of assorted vegetables with a mixed orchard nearby. He fed his family well, put aside seed for the next year and his wife made jams and pickles, or preserved fruit. The excess would be taken to the nearby towns and sold at the marketplace, to people who didn't have space to farm. Idealistic wishful thinking I guess.
ReplyDeleteThat is exactly how things were in France when I moved there 50 years ago. All farms had animals, crops, vines, fruit trees, and a storeroom filled with the most wonderful preserves. These days no-one grows anything, they have no cows pigs or ducks, and the vineyards have all gone. The 'farmers' now wander about waiting for the Autumn Chestnut crop to fall.
Delete