The new UK Agriculture Bill, which sets out the Government’s vision of what British farming will look like post-Brexit, has been described as a “landmark” by Michael Gove. However, many farmers and agricultural business groups believe that the Bill is seriously flawed, it has emerged.
In recent days, the Bill has unveiled how the Government intends to go about “taking back control for farmers after almost 50 years under EU rule.”
Among its proposals are plans to ensure that farmers and agricultural business owners will be paid for “public goods,” ranging from better animal welfare and soil health to improved air and water quality.
The Bill also explains how the “ineffective” Direct Payments system will be replaced to ensure greater equality all round, with more value placed upon those farmers and landowners who create public benefits, as opposed to payments based predominantly on the total amount of land farmed.
It also stipulates that the Government will work very closely with farmers to design, develop and trial its flagship Environmental Land Management system, which is expected to be formally introduced next year.
Nevertheless, farmers and business leaders in the agricultural sector have spoken out against the proposals, arguing that the new Agriculture Bill is simply not enough to enable farmers to compete in a ‘volatile’ post-Brexit market.
Paul Vernon, Chair of Dairy UK, welcomed the fact that the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) would be given more power to work alongside farmers and help to develop new support networks. However, he said that the Government needed to do much more to support farmers financially – particularly with a view to improving productivity.
“The profitability and innovation of dairy farms must go hand-in-hand with providing public goods so that we can remain competitive post-Brexit,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Farmers Union (NFU) has voiced concerns that the new Bill is “disappointing” in its failure to put food and farming at its very heart.
NFU President Minette Batters, said: “The NFU, alongside the whole food supply chain, has been absolutely clear about the essential ingredients for a progressive, profitable, and sustainable food and farming sector post-Brexit.
“These include comprehensive measures to improve the environment and productivity and tackle volatility alongside free and frictionless trade and access to a competent and reliable workforce.
“The Bill, as described in the announcement, falls short of our aspirations in these regards.”