Bad weather sees farmers’ confidence hit rock bottom

Votes from across the Devon and Cornwall police area were collated at the count in Plymouth’s Life Centre, with Ms Hernandez beating her rival candidates Daniel Steel (Labour and Co-operative Party) and Steve Lodge (Liberal Democrats).

A total of 308,607 votes were cast, a turnout of 22.5%, down more than 13% compared to the last poll in 2021.

Ms Hernandez gained 131,764 votes, Mr Steel 107,897 and Mr Lodge 64,790. The Conservative share of the vote fell by 6.7% on the 2021 figure, while Labour’s was up 15.2% and the Liberal Democrats’ by 3.4%.

Ms Hernandez said she was “really delighted” with her victory. “I think it shows that when you focus on the things that are the people’s priority, people will come out and support you and say they’re on your side,” she said. “Together, with taxpaying residents, we have done things as a team in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.”

RELENTLESS rainfall and falling profits have knocked confidence among British farmers to a new low, a survey shows.

The latest Farmer Confidence Survey, carried out by the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), reveals both short and mid-term confidence are at their lowest levels since records began in 2010.

Because of this overwhelming doubt, the organisation says, production intentions have also plummeted, with all farming sectors saying they expect to reduce production over the next year.

Months of flooding, unsustainably high production costs and low market returns are largely to blame for the collapse of confidence, it says, against a backdrop of reducing financial support as the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) is phased out.

The surveying, almost 800 farmers and growers who are NFU members, was conducted between November 2023 and January.

The results show unrelenting wet weather has played a big part in denting confidence, with 82% of respondents saying their businesses have suffered fairly negative (52%) or very negative impacts (30%).

Arable, dairy and mixed farms have taken the biggest hits.

The survey was carried out in November and December last year, and farmers have been battling heavy rain through January, February, March and much of April.

Were the survey undertaken again now, the NFU says, it believes the results would be even worse, the UK having suffered a further four storms since the start of 2024.

Profitability has also reportedly fallen, with 65% of respondents saying their profits are declining or their businesses might not even survive.

Key concerns for the year ahead include the phasing-out of BPS, with 86% expecting it to have a negative effect on their business; input prices for essentials such as energy, fertiliser and fuel, flagged by 80% of respondents as a concern; and regulation and legislation, also at 80%.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the figures painted a “really stark picture.

“Any business owner knows that without confidence and a steady cashflow businesses will struggle to reinvest and remain viable.

“We have already lost more than 7,000 agricultural businesses since 2019. No one wants to see that increase, least of all our customers who really value the high-quality, sustainable food British farmers produce.

“With climate change wreaking havoc on food systems across the world and geopolitical tensions high, Britain cannot afford to lose its ability to feed itself.”