Stop whingeing, says NFU

THE PRESIDENT of the National Farmers Union has urged farmers to shed their “whingeing” image and make the most of the CAP reforms introduced next year.

Farmers should make the most of the opportunities that CAP reform will bring, Tim Bennett told The Independent.

He believes the change from production-based subsidies to environmental stewardship payments presents opportunities for farmers to reconnect with consumers and build a new industry based on high-quality food.

“We have this image of whingeing which we do because most of us are small businesses often working on our own and feeling we are living in difficult times,” said Mr Bennett.

“What we have to do is turn that around. We have to stop whingeing. When it is tough we have to accept that and carry on.

“We have to get our confidence back. Most of us are proud of what we do. If we could articulate that with confidence we will be a successful industry,” he told the paper.

But some, like Mike Haskew vice chairman of Farmers For Action, were quick to point out  other challenges facing British farmers such as supermarket dominance and tighter regulations.

“We may seem to be whingeing but people would not whinge if we were allowed to sell our produce on a level playing field,” said Mr Haskew.

“We are just asking for a fair deal. In Britain people are many generations removed from farming.

“Many people in urban areas do not understand the countryside or just look at the view.

“They do not understand the complexity of producing food to a high standard in an environmentally friendly way,” he added.

The NFU has recently called on the government to bring forward IACS payments to those whose businesses are most affected by the heavy rain.

Mr Bennett is to visit the worse affected areas of Yorkshire and the North West starting on Wed (Sept 1)

Lord Haskins has added to his recent concerns that this harvest may be more damaging to farmers than the foot-and-mouth crisis of 2001 warning on Mon (Aug 30) that potato blight will pose a greater threat this year than in previous years.