Editor’s View: I’m all for civil servants and farmers mixing
© Adobe Stock What has been the greatest farming controversy of this still relatively young year so far?
Some of you will answer the sorry state of the Sustainable Farming Incentive, our lead story from last week.
I’m told there’s a leak inquiry in Defra still under way, trying to establish where our intrepid deputy editor, Abi Kay, got her information.
See also: Farmers targeted by mass planning objections
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Some of you will answer the NFU’s stance on inheritance tax.
Some of you, after reading our lead story this week, will be rightly appalled that activists from overseas are playing a part in blocking planning permission for farmers attempting to put up sheds.
It is absolute nonsense that a keyboard warrior in Alabama can play any part in deciding whether there should be another pig unit near Cheltenham, Cockermouth or Cromer.
But I say (with tongue firmly in cheek) that these pale in comparison to the storm over Defra spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on educating their staff about farming at the Allerton Project farm.
Now entering its third week of coverage in these hallowed pages, it has sparked significant debate about the best way to train generalist civil servants in the many nuances and idiosyncrasies of farming.
Personally, I’d pay to watch high-flying graduates, fresh from studying politics and economics at a Russell Group university, stand in a soil pit with our esteemed columnist Joe Stanley and consider drain rodding for the first time in their sheltered lives.
So if I can wade into this debate as well, my first contribution is to ask – could and should they sell tickets to this, rather than burden the taxpayer with the cost?
If we’re keeping it in the Farmers Weekly columnist family, I’d also pay to watch them take a crash course in beef production from Doug Dear, dairy from Cath Morley and arable economics with Jo Franklin.
But I wonder if we are overlooking the real story here. Shouldn’t taxpayer money actually be used to send farmers to Whitehall to understand how the civil service works?
Picture the scene: A group trails a tour guide down the hushed corridors of Marsham Street. Peering into a busy conference room, they ask what important work is happening within.
Could it be to take strategic decisions on avian influenza, perhaps, or bovine TB?
The tour guide beams.
“Actually that is the Grey Squirrel Working Group. It’s vital work to replace the 2014 Grey Squirrel Action Plan, so that it sits alongside the England Red Squirrel Action Plan, led by the UK Squirrel Accord, and the Great Britain Invasive Non Native Species Strategy.”
Taking their stunned silence for approval, he presses on to the next room.
“This is where they recently updated the Export Health Certificate to allow live macaws to be sent to Canada.”
“Caw blimey,” someone mutters.
They press against the wall to allow a phalanx of armed guards to pass with a VIP.
“HR director,” the guide whispers, pale-faced. “They’ve cut 1,229 full-time equivalent roles here since Labour came to power. With only 6,111 remaining, there really are only the essential jobs left now.”
I think they might sell tickets to that as well.