We need to capitalise on our strengths amid huge challenges
LAST week it was the Derbyshire NFU AGM and the star speaker was Minette Batters, NFU president. She gave us a brief resume of all the issues affecting agriculture, of which there are many at the moment – from PM and agricultural ministerial changes, which cause uncertainty in policy and pauses, to trade deals where we could and should have negotiated better.
She covered the pig industry, which has contracted by 30 per cent due to lack of labour, the poultry industry facing similar issues including avian influenza, alongside horticulture, which is reducing in productivity.
Dairy is under similar pressure from rising prices, livestock from encouraging tree planting and pressure from extra housing/infrastructure, while arable is having to cope with fertiliser, seed and fuelprice inflation.
But, on the bright side, it has been recognised that we need a secure, resilient and reliable food supply as a necessity, and governments worldwide are trying to secure enough for their populations.
Finally she addressed questions from the audience – climate change was raised and she was adamant that farming and agriculture can be part of the solution, but it’s no good pitting one form of agriculture against another.
We should all be working together and we should be capitalising on our strengths because the British Isles, with having a temperate climate, is the ideal place to raise livestock – we have the grass, we have the rainfall and we have the high standards.
The issues facing many tenants were raised, from tree planting, right through to the inability to access SFI.
Red Tractor with all its regulations was discussed, and the need expressed that if you don’t like the hoops you have to jump through you have to get on the boards of these big companies to have your say.
But if we didn’t have Red Tractor what would be there instead? Each supermarket chain has its own standards or the government implements its own standards.
At least the NFU does have a say what isn’t implemented with Red Tractor, and that’s because we’ve got a seat at the table.
We finished with a view expressed that we had heard about a wide variety of subjects, we had put different points of view and discussed, and as one question which always raises its head is “what is the NFU doing for you?” – such a lot, and if you’re a member you should be satisfied that the NFU is doing so much on your behalf, and if you’re not a member you should ask yourself; why not?
Why aren’t you adding your voice?