What more can I say? The Government has dealt yet another blow to UK farmers. How much more can we take? I think we have talked politics to death at the dinner table.
As of 11 March, the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) will no longer continue in its existing form. Existing agreements will run until the end of term, but no new applications will be issued. If a farmer has not signed an agreement, they will not be eligible for any payments going forward. Allegedly there will be a revised SFI scheme in due course, but more details will follow after a government spending review later in the year. I will await the news with bated breath.
So, while the scrapping of SFI is absolutely appalling, I believe that the latest piece of legislation to have been published is the ‘planning reform bill’. This will give development corporations and Natural England the right to compulsorily purchase your land and pay you the face value of the land, excluding any hope value.
Labour is now set to fast-track laboratory “Frankenstein” meat to the market. Allegedly this will be more environmentally friendly and enable the UK to reduce its livestock numbers by up to 25%.
Does anyone need or want farming in the UK? The public (despite many farmers’ best attempts) still has very little concept of where or how their food is produced or indeed any idea of the amount of time, care and attention to detail that goes into producing food for their tables.
The mowers have now been dusted off and serviced and are all ready for action when the grass is ready. Spring drilling has been completed and, apart from the maize, all the farm has been drilled.
Staffing has been a slight issue this month and we have been running short. Thank goodness for Monty being on a gap year and filling the space. At one point this month we were three staff down, but since Richard and Monty have been feeding the cows they have never milked so well. Every cloud, and all that! Let’s hope he doesn’t read this article otherwise he will be asking for a pay rise.
Fergus is about to be rather busy with silage and a new baby imminent. Exciting times ahead.
Zara was crowned National Pony Club champion at the Winter Championships in the intermediate and open dressage. A very long weekend, but well deserved. The eventing season is now under way and with GCSEs round the corner life is becoming a juggling act. I’m sure she will smash it.
As a family we have decided to let Teddy run for the position of prime minister for the following reasons… At eight years old we feel that he can’t do a worse job than the present incumbent; he has a sound knowledge of farming and believes in common sense; he can also do basic addition and subtraction, which is more than Rachel in accounts appears to be able to do. He also doesn’t have a current CV so is unable to lie about previous employment.
Until next time, stay safe.
