UK plan to slash farm payments
I was in a meeting in Halifax today, discussing the dependency of small scale upland farmers in the South Pennines on off farm income. I have experienced the same issue in the Durham Dales and Upland areas of Cornwall and Cumbria. All of which makes me very nervous about the issues arising from this article which tells us:
“British farmers could see direct payments slashed by one third if the UK government gets its way on CAP reform, it has emerged.
Plans outlined by UK negotiators in Brussels would see individual countries allowed to reduce direct payments by as much as 20%.
The figure is on top of European Commission proposals that would see 10% of direct payments permanently transferred towards rural development. The net effect could see payments to UK farmers reduced by 30%, warned Gail Soutar, the NFU’s senior CAP and international affairs advisor.”
What gives real cause for concern is the drying up of many of the jobs people currently do in these places off farm to support their farm enterprises. I worry that going forward these individuals will face a “double whammy” potentially losing their off farm work and a third of their direct payments. This will have an impact not just on the farmers and their families but on many landscape environments we love and cherish. Parts of the South Pennines are already suffering from under land management or near abandonment and this issues has the scope to get far worse. Time we had a good think about the issue!!!