We need long, not short-term, thinking

IS our representative democracy capable of fixing long-term problems? So much of what happens is driven by the instant nature of modern media and too much focus is put on the next tweet, tomorrow’s headline and, if you are lucky, the next public voting opportunity. To solve climate change, you need longterm thinking.

The war in Ukraine has increased fuel and fertiliser prices at a time where our agricultural output has been thrown into focus. This should be a reminder that decarbonising agriculture is a priority.

Farming will ultimately suffer if we carry on as we are and the solutions need long-term investment. The Government’s ELMS policy does not give enough support to replace CAP grants, which stop soon.

The ELMS policy only benefits large landowners whose acreage of rewilding gives an income. Smalleracreage Westcountry farms cannot live on rewilding grants, whereas with a policy for food production to replace CAP we would not need to import, which only benefits traders and large corporations.

This can only be achieved if our politicians resist the pressures that so often lead to short-term thinking. Philip Bowern and Anton Coaker remind us that the disgraced MP, Neil Parish, was supportive of farmers and I hope his replacement is, but in a different way. A way that puts climate change at the heart of decisions. Government support for homegrown food would address climate change with increased sequestration of carbon.

I hope the new member for Tiverton and Honiton engages with the cross-party Climate

Change Committee and supports the NFU blueprint policy for food production, which states: “New policies to ensure food production and environmental delivery go hand-in-hand, must be adaptable to the various farming systems in operation.”

Where is the Defra support for farmers?

Ian Crawford

Barnstaple, Devon