Eustice proposes rare breeds support with coronation fund

Former Defra secretary George Eustice has urged ministers to launch a £10m fund to strengthen the survival of rare native farm breeds.

Mr Eustice, the Conservative MP for Camborne and Redruth, said he had made the case for a coronation fund to support rare breeds in this country.

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Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on Farming on Dartmoor this week, Mr Eustice said King Charles has been a passionate supporter of rare breeds – in particular, native breeds – throughout his life.

“The year of his coronation would be a fantastic opportunity to open a fund to support rare breeds such as the Greyface Dartmoor and others that can be found on Dartmoor,” he told fellow MPs.

Mr Eustice noted that the National Sheep Association has called for a fund to bolster rare breed numbers, and the organisation “can see an opportunity to add greater value to some of its produce through such a scheme”.

He added: “I hope the department [Defra] will take that forward.”

King Charles has been a patron of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) for more than 30 years.

The RBST told Farmers Weekly it would like to see funding to support marketing of native breed produce, and to support conservation programmes for the most at-risk breeds.

RBST chief executive Christopher Price said supporting farmers to invest in native breeds would really enhance the wide-ranging benefits that native livestock breeds brought to the environment, food production and the economy, now and for generations to come.

“The ability of hardy native breeds to thrive in tough environments is well demonstrated in the UK’s uplands,” he said.

“Support for farming with native breeds would be particularly positive for the upland farming communities who are facing some of the greatest challenges in the transition to post-CAP agricultural policy.

“We’ve been discussing possible options with Defra officials for some time and we share George Eustice’s hope that the department will take them forward.”

A Defra spokesperson said: “With more than 75% of the UK’s native breeds of farm livestock at risk, safeguarding the genetic diversity they provide is important in helping us tackle challenges such as food security and emerging diseases. They are also an important part of our rural heritage.

“We share the King’s passion for the UK countryside and are sympathetic to proposals as to how we can offer support for native breeds through our farming budget.”