Farm News
Four NFU bosses also meet to discuss the situation, and call for a ‘widespread culture change’
Around 70 UK farmers joined the thousands taking part in the Copa Cogeca farming demo today (7 September)
As well as that, the four farming union presidents of NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland, NFU and Ulster Farmers Union held a separate meeting with farming ministers ahead of the extraordinary Agriculture Council, held in Belgium..
Over 6,000 farmers have turned out in a mass demonstration outside this meeting of EU farming ministers. The protest, organised by EU farming unions Copa and Cogeca, is aimed at drawing increased awareness to the dire state of the fresh produce market.
In a joint statement, the UK presidents said: “Right now, today, farmers are really struggling to pay their bills. This is having a huge impact not only on farming families, but for other businesses that rely on the farming sector.
“We have strongly urged our UK ministers to argue for more flexibility from the commission to allow the UK governments to pay farmers’ BPS and agri-environment monies at the very least on time and in full. This will help put money where it is needed most.”
Stephen James, NFU Cymru president, added: “There was agreement in the meeting that a widespread culture change is needed within the food supply chain to ensure that farmers see a fair share of risk and reward. The Westminster minister, Liz Truss, said this culture change will come about by building a consensus across the supply chain, and that she wanted government to show leadership by implementing the ambitious public procurement food policy across all government departments to see more local, high quality food procured.
“This needs to happen, and soon. We have asked for a clear timetable and agreed milestones to turn talk into action.
“The UK governments need to deliver on their promises; work together to achieve this culture change across the supply chain and to see real understanding of the cost of production to farmers.”.
Farm-generated renewable energy has ‘huge potential’ but needs less red-tape and more policy support, says report
Farmers could be major players in creating a low-carbon energy system if barriers to investing in renewable energy were removed, a new report has said today.
The Farm Power coalition, made up of farming bodies and NGOs, has released a report today calling on supermarkets to buy more farm-generated energy.
Research, carried out by sustainability NGO Forum for the Future and Nottingham Trent University, found there is at least 10GW of untapped resource across UK farms – equivalent to more than three times the capacity of the proposed new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point.
To achieve this potential the report said that farmers need more reliable access to grid connections and supportive planning, as well as more accessible information about how to become an energy producer.
“Farms and rural communities can make a significant contribution to the sustainable energy mix but we need to collaborate to make it happen,” said head of technology for the National Grid, Neil Hughes.
Jonathan Scurlock, chief adviser for renewable energy and climate change at the NFU, said: “The NFU strongly endorses farm diversification into renewable energy, for export as well as for self-supply, where it supports profitable farming and underpins traditional agricultural production.
“We recognise that low-carbon energy production can actually enhance our national food security for only a modest land take, and the additional returns from renewables make farm businesses more resilient and better able to manage volatility in both the weather and in farm prices..”
Chair of Waitrose’s flagship farm, Leckford Estates, Lord Curry, said: “The Farm Power coalition is such an important initiative. It is bringing together key players in the industry to help provide direction to unlocking some of the many barriers that are currently impeding uptake, as well as a vision to the potential that farms could deliver for the UK.
“It’s in all our interests to get behind this and champion the benefits, and opportunity, that renewable energy technologies can bring to society and farming.”
Farm Power was founded by Forum for the Future, Farmers Weekly and Nottingham Trent University, and is guided by a committee made up of National Grid, United Utilities and the NFU.