This Labour Government seem hell-bent on destroying the farming industry by any means possible.
It has introduced the family farm tax, ending long standing rules which exempted farms passed down through generations from paying inheritance tax, it has imposed a fertiliser levy, and ripped up the planning rule book to allow land to be purchased at its current price rather than the value it would have been if it were to be developed (which was previously the case).
And this relentless attack and anti-farming anti-rural agenda shows little signs of slowing down.
The Prime Minister recently agreed a deal with the United States which will now allow bioethanol to be imported into the UK, tariff-free for up to 1.4 billion litres.
For anyone who knows the process behind producing the renewable energy source, this deal would have raised alarm bells. None more so than to my farmers in Tatton – and other arable farmers up and down the country – who sell wheat to be used as part of the process to make bioethanol. Lower grade wheat that is not sold for food, is perfect for making bioethanol given its high starch content. Government’s actions are cutting off a funding stream for our farmers!
The UK only has two bioethanol plants with a combined capacity to purchase around two million tonnes of wheat each year. Given the new tariff changes from 19 per cent to zero, there are real concerns that more competitively priced US imports will now be favoured. Both have already said this deal could force them to close. This would leave British farmers without a reliable market for their feed wheat and force them to look at exporting produce they cannot sell. The National Farmers’ Union have also warned the trade deal could lead to higher animal feed prices as this would not be being produced as a by-product.
This government seem intent on selling our farmers down the river. The repeated attacks on the industry must stop.
