Prevailing view is Defra is at best a troubled department

The National Audit Office has published a damning report ‘Regulating to achieve Environmental Outcomes’ on Defra’s ability to deliver, citing the department as lacking direction and being in complete disarray. Many farmers believe that Defra, Natural England and the Environment Agency are in fact, due to the complications of all the various demands, actually preventing those who want to do their bit for the environment from doing so. Others in the industry condemn the government for still not having a food policy despite Henry Dimbleby’s National Food Strategy.

Therese Coffey, Secretary of State, was questioned recently by the Efra select committee on the efficiency of her department and ability to keep pace with regulation.

She was also challenged on the high turnover and morale of staff at the department and whether the capacity and drive is there to deliver the Environmental Land Management scheme (ELS) on time and within budget. Her answer was that she was unaware of any reports and questioned where such thoughts had come from.

Permanent Secretary Tamara Finklestein chipped in that there are some challenges in recruiting and retaining some pockets of staff, but overall the department is energised by the ELS plan and monitoring of targets and performance is under way and regular reviews are carried out.

There are however 600 vacancies at the Environment Agency which is going to take some time to sort out at a time where water quality is a pivotal part of government strategy.

There appears to be an overall opinion in both government and the industry that Defra at present is at best a troubled department and at worst failing and that needs to change very quickly.

Whilst this government is under intense pressure and scrutiny at all levels, farmers and the agriculture industry is turning its spot-light on the Labour Party as it has a lead in the polls and seems to be shaping up to form the next government.

You would think that given the present government’s record and litany of disappointments over the past few years, that Labour has a clear run here.

The failure to honour the Brexit promises, international trade deals which will have serious consequences in a few years’ time, the lack of support for the horticulture sector which has resulted in bare shelves in supermarkets again and the restrictions to workers which caused the pig crisis and left fruit unpicked and vegetables to rot in the fields; to name but a few.

Daniel Zeicher has been the shadow farming minister for three years and recognises the need for reform, he understands that environmental ambitions cannot be delivered if farmers are left to do the heavy lifting without adequate support; much as Lord Deben chair of the climate change committee has said.

He is therefore talking about the ELS providing some basic economic support for farmers and more support for the uplands, where the current offer does not make economic sense, and is badly needed to preserve the rich cultural heritage of those areas.

However, the Labour Party still has a problem in the countryside and it has two policies which are difficult for farmers to accept.

The first is the pledge to stop badger culling, unpalatable to urban dwellers this policy works and is seen by the industry as necessary in order to eradicate bTB.

The Labour government in Wales has a no cull policy and farmers are becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress despite very tight controls on movements and farm bio-security. In TB areas this could well be a blocker as farmers will not want to go backwards after the good progress made of late with this disease.

The second difficult policy is the right to roam. Again, given the increasing problems with dog attacks and the general increase in the number of people visiting the countryside, allowing them the freedom to go anywhere they want is seen as a total disaster for farmers.

Livestock farming is vulnerable to such intrusion but crops are also likely to be compromised despite the guidelines which will no doubt be developed alongside such a policy.

So who should farmers vote for at the fast approaching election?

They feel let down by the Conservatives and can see only misery ahead with current badly thought out policies and the real threat of increased imports and lack of support whilst the government keeps pushing for higher standards.

Farming has never been tougher for many and in general the industry feels abandoned by an uncaring and incompetent government.

Labour does frighten many farmers although they feel they would be better looked after under a Labour government.

The Greens? Not a chance, as we watch them push for the re-introduction of lynx in Scotland where they are in government with the SNP.

The claim is that Scotland is one of the poorest places on earth for nature and it’s hard to see how an attack predator taking sheep and anything else easier than a deer will change much.

The plan is that as eco fanatics cannot bring themselves to shoot deer which is their number one enemy (they eat young saplings); introducing a wild cat to savage them to death is the obvious ‘natural’ answer!

No, the Greens should remain in Brighton where they are in charge and old folk fall over the weeds growing through pavements due to a no pesticide rule.

I think Scotland’s farmers may have something to say about claims that Scotland is bereft of nature and I also doubt that the troubled SNP will take responsibility for any of that, having been in power for years.

New leader Hamza Yousaf ’s failure to appoint a junior rural minister has gone down badly with farmers given the workload of the department and is seen as a snub.

That leaves the Liberal Democrats and they have had a lot of success with the rural vote in the south west in particular over the years. I suspect that they will do well in the upcoming local elections and they are claiming that they are the only ones who understand rural communities now and are the only real opposition in many areas.

They appeal to those who voted against Brexit and the increasing numbers of those who voted in favour but feel badly let down by the chaotic and uncaring Conservatives.

As always it’s a mix bag but I sense that most people from all walks of life including farmers are longing for some stability, proper strategies and policies; something to give us all hope for the future.

I see Jaguar Land Rover is ditching the name after 75 years. This is no surprise as the company is on its way to battery powered electric luxury car future and has lost its roots and its markets in agriculture and any connection to land a long time ago.

Government is now under severe pressure to ditch the preposterous plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

This will be worse than the push for diesel a few years ago which was an expensive flop, but electric cars are too expensive for most people and second hand prices have collapsed. They are of little use for us in the countryside that’s for sure.