Political promises not worth paper they’re printed on
Gosh it has been protracted and, for many, the end game has not been visible but as the various pieces of the jigsaw are now slotting into place, the free trade, cheap food desire of the UK Government is becoming much clearer.
Ever since, Boris Johnson won the General Election last December and he placed Brexit supporting free traders into key positions in his Cabinet that has been the desired outcome.
Those who believed that a deal with the EU would emerge as, using his words of less than a year ago, “oven ready” now find that, again using his words, a “no deal” is a much more realistic prospect.
The message for the farming industry from this is, in future, ignore political promises written in manifestos and do not elect politicians on these promises as they use weasel words to justify their calumny.
They can tear up a petition even if it contains more than a million signatures and comes from a reputable source – the National Farmers Union of England and Wales. It is to be hoped that those who signed the petition aiming to put some teeth in the Agriculture Bill and were ignored have good memories come the next election.
They should also learn not to listen to politicians such as Liz Truss and Michael Gove when they protest they will maintain high health and welfare standards. For both, successful careers are more important than integrity.
At this stage, we should also ignore the much trumpeted Trade and Agriculture Commission which Truss set up to ensure trade deals were fair for this country. It is a completely toothless tiger existing only to advise; not to actually do anything and it is a tempo
rary patch on a deep sore as it has only been given a sixmonth life span
All around are dark clouds brought about by these imminent major shifts in policy with post-Brexit farm policies combining with as yet unknown trade deals that could coup the proverbial apple cart in farming
Free trade has never served up financial stability in UK farming. In fact, it has generally undermined the rural economy. The periods before both world wars saw food pouring in from all over the world as countries strove to pay for the ships, trains and other goods then manufactured in this country. Sadly, home food security is once again well down the list of priorities. Even if we do not make many manufactured goods nowadays, cheap food imports will operate as a makeweight in any trade deal.
Despite all this gathering gloom adding to the effects of an unprecedented pandemic, farm prices in this little part of the world in the past six months have been, at least, reasonably good and well beyond any pessimistic forecast.
It is difficult to be precise as to when the wheels will come off. The farming industry does have the security of farm supports at current levels for the next four years but if commodity prices hit the buff-
ers, subsidies alone will not save many farmers.
At this point it is worth looking again at the recommendations of the Dimbleby Review of UK Food and Drink Sector, launched in June as the first review of the food system in its entirety for 75 years.
The review’s publication – a 110-page high-level document – is still a good read. Among the recommendations was a call for a new statutory duty giving the UK Parliament the authority to scrutinise any new trade deals; bolder and faster progress to ensure the UK land-based sector delivers more effectively on climate change mitigation and on environmental priorities. The NFU welcomed the report, particularly the proposed safeguards to ensure high welfare and food safety standards.
A second stage report is scheduled for next year. The Dimbleby Review has been set to shape the structural fund support for food and drink in the post-brexit world. In 2017 Scotland Food and Drink published Ambition 2030, a sustainable growth strategy for agriculture, fishing, food and drink. These are important documents that have far reaching consequences for agriculture.
They should not be forgotten in the post-brexit world.