Farm News
Farms in crisis: Meltdown
cannot be allowed to continue
»»Following a second
summit in London on 18
August, farming union leaders
welcomed UK farm ministers’
acknowledgement that the
supply chain is not working
and that urgent measures
are required to address the
immediate farming crisis.
At the meeting there was
recognition that this is not just a
crisis in the dairy sector but one
that is impacting most farmers
across the board with the lamb
sector also being particularly
hard hit.
A series of actions were
agreed which retailers and
the food service sector should
commit to urgently, including:
clearer country of origin
labelling; clarity on sourcing
policies; better, more consistent
promotion of British food and,
from the government, delivery
of its public procurement food
policy.
‘impacting most
farmers across
the board’
There was recognition that
some of the issues facing
farmers could only be tackled
at EU level. It was agreed that
farm ministers would present a
united position representing all
UK farmers at the emergency
meeting in Brussels to take
place on 7 September.
The four UK farming union
Presidents said:
“We cannot allow the
meltdown in the farming
industry to continue. The
Secretary of State and the
devolved agricultural ministers
have today acknowledged
the threats facing the farming
industry and the need for
urgent action.
“Our farming members now
expect to see these words
followed up with visible,
tangible actions. The ministers
should be in no doubt that the
time for talking is now over.
“Ahead of the emergency
European farming summit in
Brussels on 7 September all
parties agreed today to work
on, and agree, the UK demands
that will be put in front of the
European Agricultural ministers
and the Commission.
‘ministers should
be in no doubt that
the time for talking
is now over’
“The UK farming union
presidents once again stressed
the importance of timely BPS
payments and ministers all
committed to do all they can
to ensure this happens. These
payments are going to be
essential to the cash flow of
many hard-pressed farms.”
East Yorkshire Machinery Ltd.
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