At face value, the new policy document from the UK Independence Party on food and farming seems to have much to recommend it.
In a nutshell, it says that British agriculture has sustained numerous heavy blows in recent times and membership of the EU has made matters worse not better. EU regulations act as a straight jacket on farming, while the cost of membership is a rip-off for taxpayers, it says.
The system is biased in favour of the French, it adds, while membership of the EU denies the UK its own seat at the WTO. Meanwhile, the CAP is wide open to fraud, while the EU's "open borders policy" makes the UK more vulnerable to imported disease.
UKIP says that UK farming would be better served outside the EU, where it would set its own policies. This would include establishing a supermarket ombudsman, reducing tariffs to give Commonwealth farmers a better chance in the UK market, and allowing bigger farmer co-operatives, to give more clout to producers.
As I said, a lot of this sounds pretty appealing.
But I'm not convinced. For a start, I've always believed that much of the problem with red tape in this country is not because of Brussels regulation per se, but is down to the enthusiam of UK civil servants in implementing it. I don't see that changing, whichever political party is in power.....
Then there is the question of trade. OK, I'm sure the UK would not be ostracized if it were to leave the EU. But to continue trading with the EU we would still have to meet many of the same regulations, with all the burdens that implies. Perhaps we could have "double regulations" - one lot for the home trade and one lot for exports.
Then there is the question of farm support. Currently the UK gets about £3.3bn in subsidies and other supports from Europe. OK withdrawal from the EU would save the Treasury a small fortune. But I can't believe farming would be in for a share of this saving if we were outside the CAP, given the parlous state of the country's finances and the demands from other sectors of the economy such as education, health and defense.
And I do not buy the UKIP line that the UK is poorly represented by the EU at the WTO. As part of the EU, we are in of a powerful group which is seeking a controlled move towards market liberalisation, rather than a free-for-all.
As a lone voice, the UK would have no voice in the WTO. Of course, we could link up with another group, perhaps joining forces with the likes of Brazil and New Zealand as UKIP suggests. But I'm not sure British farming would be best served by pulling down tariffs on things like Brazilian beef and New Zealand lamb.
If nothing else, the new policy document from UKIP is thought provoking. And judging by the response on our FWi Forum, it has triggered some strong opinon. What's your view?
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