A Cumbrian MP has told a meeting of the farming community that “one of the greenest things the government can do is to keep farmers farming”.
Hexham Auction Mart played host to 180 delegates on Wednesday of industry experts, farmers and politicians who gathered for the 11th instalment of the event.
One of the key messages was the need to lobby the government for change and ensure it recognises farmers as part of the solution and not the problem.
Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron called on the industry to change the debate and make a case for farming, for an ethical approach to trade deals and to “ensure British farmers, their high food and animal welfare standards were not sacrificed in achieving such deals (but that they were instead influenced and informed by farmers), and for the Environment Land Management (ELM) scheme to be accessible to as many farmers and land managers as possible.”
“If farmers cannot get into the new schemes they will go broke or go backwards, undoing the good work of recent years,” said Mr Farron.
“Farmers need to flourish. One of the greenest things the Government can do is to keep farmers farming. If this is a battle for the future of the environment then you need an army – and farmers are that army.”
Jo Lampkowski, regional agricultural manager for the north of England, suggested farmers look at the loan structure of their businesses, understand the financial impact if interest rates were to rise and discuss the pros and cons of fixing any borrowing in place. Going forward, she added that farmers will need to have sustainability plans in place if they are considering any borrowing.
The Northern Farming Conference is a joint venture between, AMC (Agricultural Mortgage Corporation), Armstrong Watson, Catchment Sensitive Farming, the CLA, Gibson & Co Solicitors, Hexham and Northern Marts, North East Grains, Womble Bond Dickinson and Youngs RPS.
