Liz Truss promises to slash red tape in agriculture

Liz Truss has pledged to slash red tape in the UK agriculture industry to allow farmers to spend more time producing food.

The prime minister made the promise during a series of interviews with BBC local radio stations on Thursday 29 September, where she set out how she plans to govern the country.

Ms Truss was questioned about her mini Budget, including policies to tackle the energy crisis, and the quality and price of food during an interview with BBC Radio Stoke.

See also: Farmer Focus: British agriculture drowning in a sea of red tape

Sarah Brown, from Lightwood, Stoke on Trent, sent in a question asking the prime minister what she was planning to do to lower the cost of food.

Despite being a full-time worker, she said food prices were rising and she was struggling to pay the bills – and was close to contacting a food bank to ask for help.

Ms Truss replied: “Our energy package that we’ve announced will help to reduce overall inflation by up to 5%.

“That will help to reduce food prices as well because farmers, people who produce food, have energy going into their productions. So, it will help reduce prices overall.”

She added: “We’re also soon going to be announcing a package to help food producers and farmers to deliver more for people, as well as reduce the red tape on farms, and make sure they’re getting the government’s full support so they can produce more food at affordable prices.”

Clarkson letter

Earlier this week, celebrity farmer Jeremy Clarkson called on Ms Truss to halve the level of red tape farmers in England face to allow them to focus their efforts on producing food.

Mr Clarkson, who farms a 400ha mixed farm in the Cotswolds, signed a joint letter alongside up to 2,000 farmers, which said: “For years, the bureaucratic bulldozer has been trampling over the countryside, infuriating millions of us.

“It has cost jobs and created misery. Downing Street has to put it into reverse gear if it wants the support of rural voters.”

The letter, which was also signed by cricketers Ian Botham, David Gower and Allan Lamb, went on to request: “Those signing this letter would be satisfied if the rules affecting the countryside are halved before the next election.”