What farmers want from new government

After Sir Keir Starmer took the keys to 10 Downing Street, farmers have been sharing their thoughts on what his new Labour government must do to make a difference to the farming industry.

The Labour Party swept to victory in last week’s general election, ending 14 years of Conservative rule and securing a huge majority in the House of Commons.

Although the result was expected, British farmers are fearful of what policies Labour could introduce to the sector amid growing concern over a lack of commitment to the agricultural budget.

See also: New PM appoints Zeichner as farming minister

Industry commentators have also accused Labour of failing to take food and farming seriously in its election manifesto, which, unlike other parties’ manifestos, does not include a bespoke section on food and farming.

The Conservatives say Labour’s manifesto only includes 87 words on farming. But new Defra secretary Steve Reed has pledged his party “will treat the countryside with respect”.

Farmers have been sharing their thoughts about what they would like to see from the new government to ensure it has a resilient future.

Staffordshire dairy farmer David Brookes said: “Farmers want to be listened to, to be honest. We never really saw anything about Labour’s concrete plans for farming in its manifesto.

“I am fearful the agricultural budget could become a low hanging fruit for redistribution.

“We are already hearing about alignment with the EU which can only mean greater regulation and increased costs – which is something our European farming colleagues have been rising up against.”

Mr Brookes added that the government must take steps to ensure that farmers are able to make the investment necessary to meet productivity demands from the marketplace where it fails to deliver.  

‘Focus on food production’

James Peck, a farmer and agri-business owner based near Cambridge, said he was very concerned that focus had moved too far away from food production and towards the environment.

“I think we should have 20% of the focus on the environment and 80% of food production,” he said.

“Also, there seems to be an obsession with the bottom up; someone with 100 acres can get access to the same productivity grants as someone with 10,000 acres.

“Personally, I don’t think the SFI [Sustainable Farming Incentive] is fit for modern day society and agriculture. It is a retirement policy for farming. The knock-on effect on the industry in three to five years will be significant.”

The new government needs to ensure a continual flow of investment into the farming industry to support growth in businesses and attract new entrants, he added.