A mix of 18 months of dangerous climate, Brexit and different worldwide occasions have left confidence in British farming at an all-time low, the Nationwide Farmers Union (NFU) has revealed.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw has warned that the collapse in confidence has seen 7,000 agricultural companies shut down since 2019 and is now imperilling meals safety in Britain.
The NFU’s annual Farmer Confidence Survey was taken between November 2023 and January this yr, and Mr Bradshaw famous that if it had been taken as we speak the phrase “disaster” would have to be added.
He described a “good storm” together with volatility brought on by the struggle in Ukraine and the results of covid. Whereas he didn’t point out Brexit by title Mr Bradshaw listed quite a few post-Brexit modifications together with to the subsidy regime and new worldwide commerce offers.
The NFU president blamed 18 months of unusually moist climate for a lot of the difficulties but in addition listed quite a few issues brought on by Brexit, together with the Australia and New Zealand commerce offers which include a aggressive drawback for the UK due to Britain’s larger requirements.
Nonetheless, prime of the listing of considerations was the phasing out of the Fundamental Cost Scheme (BPS), the continuation of the EU subsidy which had supported farms across the UK.
The survey confirmed that this was the primary problem for farmers with 86 p.c naming it as a severe concern.
BPS is being changed by the Environmental Land Administration Scheme however funds have dropped by 50 p.c at a time when farmers are having to borrow extra.
Mr Bradshaw mentioned: “We now have been clear because the NFU for a while of our concern that the transfer away from the BPS to the general public cash for public good, whereas very well-intentioned, has taken meals manufacturing with no consideration.
“Our concern is that if members don’t trust then we as a rustic can’t ship meals safety. We now have all political events say that meals safety is nationwide safety. In the event that they actually imply these phrases they should ask themselves what actions they should take to rebuild farmer confidence.”
He warned “believing we will import our method out of this drawback is naive at finest and silly at worst.”
He added: “We want a long-term plan for the way we’re going to feed 70 million folks on an island.”
Mr Bradshaw pointed to a different post-Brexit problem on immigration that “we nonetheless don’t have a seasonal employee scheme for subsequent yr.”
This problem has seen EU residents, who used to come back and decide fruit, cease making the journey following the UK leaving the EU.
The survey exhibits that brief and mid-term confidence is at its lowest since information started in 2010. Due to this insecurity, manufacturing intentions have additionally plummeted with all farming sectors anticipating to lower manufacturing over the subsequent yr.
The relentless moist climate has performed an enormous half, with 82 per cent of respondents saying their farm companies have suffered detrimental impacts, with combined farms, arable farms and dairy farms having taken the largest hits.
