Thursday 1 November 2018

Campaign response - Please stand up for nature


I am grateful to my constituents who have taken the time to contact me about my support for the Government’s Agriculture Bill.

In September the Government introduced the Agriculture Bill, which has had its Second Reading on 10 October and is currently under scrutiny by MPs in the bill committee.

Food and farming is a bedrock of our economy and environment, generating £112 billion a year and helping shape some of our finest habitats and landscapes. Cornwall in particular is an agri-food powerhouse, with 30% of those of working age employed in agri-food and food retail, compared to the UK average of 15%. The Government will continue to commit the same cash total in funds for farm support until the end of this Parliament in 2022. Once we have the freedom to move away from the Common Agricultural Policy as a result of our leaving of the European Union, the proposal is for an 'agricultural transition' period in England, allowing farmers to prepare for a new system.

Brexit creates a once in a generation opportunity to design a domestic agricultural policy that will stand the test of time. Starting from first principles we can bring in innovative new ideas to support investment in healthy, sustainable British food production and do much better for farming, the environment and animal welfare. The Government proposes to move to a system of paying farmers public money for public goods: principally environmental enhancement.

Ministers have consulted widely with farmers and others, and have published the Agriculture Bill alongside their response; it focuses mostly on England because they recognise that devolution provides each administration with the powers to decide its own priorities. They are keenly aware of the importance of seasonal labour, so will work with the industry to ensure it has the right people with the right skills.

We must take this opportunity to use public money to reward environmentally-responsible land use, as well as maintaining and enhancing high standards of animal welfare. We will harness this opportunity and ensure that our best days as a food and farming nation lie ahead of us.