WHEN it comes to issues surrounding Brexit and how it might affect UK farmers, Adam Bedford can provide an interesting insight, having returned to the North East to take up the post of NFU regional director after four years in Brussels representing the organisation.
UK politicians are in the middle of negotiations to thrash out the country’s future relationship with the EU, following the exit date in March 2019, explains Mr Bedford.
The NFU is keen to ensure that UK farmers continue to have access to European markets and is currently planning to submit a detailed response to a consultation by Defra on the UK’s domestic agricultural policy after Brexit, for which submissions closed this week.
“Farmers are worried about the uncertainty that they are facing, and it is difficult to predict exactly what is likely to happen,” says Mr Bedford.
“Farm businesses thrive when the future looks relatively certain, because this allows them to plan; farming is a long-term business.
“The UK’s trading relationship with Europe and changes to farm support are two of the key issues. Of particular concern is how the rules surrounding compliance might be altered and how the new regime will influence farm management decisions.
“The industry will need time to adapt to any future changes and we are pressing for more information from the Government. We are also worried about the decision makers’ apparent lack of focus on food production.”
The provision of food to UK production standards for every level of consumer is considered by the NFU as a public good, adds Mr Bedford.
These standards cover areas like animal welfare and environmental enhancement, with current regulations ensuring that the UK is among those countries that produce the highest quality food available.
“UK farming has a lot to be proud of,” he says.
“Our farmers produce affordable, traceable food to a very high standard. Food and drink production is a vital part of the economy in Yorkshire and the North East and provides almost f our million jobs countrywide.
“Teesdale itself is rich in environmental features, with a high number of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
“Its farmers play a vital role in preserving these areas, but in the uplands, a high proportion of income comes from direct support and that presents a significant challenge.”
Mr Bedford adds: “Unfortunately, we had a poor summer last year, followed by a harsh winter and a very wet spring. We need Government to take account of the challenges facing farmers in less favoured areas when decisions are being made about the level of support that is proposed for the years to come.”
However, the export market is another critical aspect of negotiations; four out of every ten lambs that are exported from the UK are marketed in Europe. Light lambs in particular are in good demand.
“In Teesdale and surrounding areas, much of the income from sheep is generated through the sale of breeding animals, but as the end product, the market for lambs, both at home and abroad, has an enormous influence on trade.”
One main priority to secure the future prosperity of the industry is to help farm businesses build their resilience, says Mr Bedford.
“Financial resilience is essential and I know that farmers are increasingly aware of the need to look objectively at their businesses and identify areas where they can control their costs of production.
“This is crucial, given that it is almost impossible to predict farmgate prices, despite the huge amount of work that goes into achieving some of the highest standards in the world.
“There are now a number of industry programmes that help farm businesses focus on how they can measure their performance and identify possible areas where things could be done differently.”
He adds: “There is also more pressure on farmers to draw up a robust business plan, as part of a drive to assess the potential for long term profitability and I know that most banks working with their agricultural clients are encouraging this.
“It is clear that the extent of the changes facing the industry is placing a strain on many of our region’s farmers, so we are also promoting a debate on how to support the farming community’s emotional wellbeing, because that is also extremely important.
“Change is inevitable, but I would urge farmers to try to keep abreast of the developments which are taking place and find time to think about how they might affect their businesses. Out of uncertainty can come opportunity,” says Mr Bedford.
