63 Per Cent of Essex Farmers feel CAP Reform Unfair
15 February 2012
UK - Proposed changes to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the future of British agriculture were the main issues aired by Emeritus Professor Allan Buckwell at the Savills seminar for Essex farmers held on Friday 10th February.
Savills annual Essex farmers’ breakfast held at the Rivenhall Hotel near Witham was well attended by 80 farmers from across the county, 63 per cent of who felt that the CAP reform proposals are unfair to British farmers. The seminar created a platform for a quick survey of farmers’ views and thoughts on the CAP reform following an informative talk by Professor Buckwell.
Professor Buckwell, former Policy Director for the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) addressing an overwhelming majority, 78 per cent, of the audience who felt all subsidies should not be abolished and farming should not revert to operating in an open market, reinforced the message that: “single payment is not and should not be an income support payment.” This message was reinforced by Michael Horton, Savills head of Rural in the East who concluded that “farmers should look to have profitable businesses without support, which will mean for many, more cooperation with others to reduce their cost base.”
Answering the question of whether reforms of the CAP have gone too far in decoupling subsidies from production, the opinion was fairly evenly split with 50 per cent of responses disagreeing, 41 per cent agreeing and the remainder feeling unsure.
Event organiser David Lancaster from Savills Chelmsford said: “With the current consultations over the future of subsidies for farmers and landowners making the headlines we were delighted that Professor Buckwell was able to join us to share his views and it has been very interesting collating and receiving the opinions and feelings of the Essex farming community.
Mr Lancaster concluded: “Our annual seminars are designed to bring local farmers into direct contact with some of the most experienced and influential people in agriculture and give them a chance to discuss and debate some of the key issues that face them. It was a positive outlook for future wheat prices, with 78 per cent of Essex farmers believing prices will remain the same or be above £150/tonne this time next year.”
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