Work with farmers not against them to ensure food security

Seldom has a Government alienated a constituent think quickly. Especially a sector that is so important to our food security.

Farmers were already facing a hard time before Labour rocked up with its wrecking ball policies such as the family farm tax. The weather hasn’t always been kind and overseas trade has posed an increased threat to their livelihoods.

Yorkshire is lucky to be home to a vibrant farming sector, this is most evident when everyone associated with the agricultural industry turns out for the Great Yorkshire Show. That is why The Yorkshire Post is keen to emphasise to the Government the need for it to work constructively with our farmers.

Farming is not only vital for food security but it can also be an enabler for economic growth.

Policies such as the family farm tax simply serve to throttle investment.

The problem seems to be a disconnect between Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) and the Treasury.

Decisions that may look good on paper don’t necessarily translate well into reality. And the weight of evidence, especially on the family farm tax, means the Government should at least pause this ill-conceived policy until it has heard from all stakeholders.

The Government is right to pursue net zero. The climate emergency can no longer be ignored. But it must do so by working hand-in-hand with farmers, not by running roughshod over them and carpeting the countryside over with solar panels and wind turbines.

Farmers understand the impact of climate change better than anyone. They are the first to feel the effects of it, as the current dry spell has shown.