Farmers union in Lincolnshire gives a cautious welcome to new measures for the sector
It follows an announcement by the Prime Minister yesterday
Last updated 15th May 2024
The national farmers union in Lincolnshire's given a cautious welcome to the Prime Minister's announcement of measures to help the sector.
Rishi Sunak says he wants to go further in providing support on with issues like flooding.
He also wants to boost food security and reduce the UK's reliance on overseas fruit and veg.
We've been speaking to Henry Morton who's NFU chair in the county.
He told us: "There are real positives in the Prime Minister's announced, especially around food security and horticulture."
There are farmers in this country that right now are nearly up to their overdraft limits
"Although there's a serious short term crisis for some farmers and growers who believe they will not survive long enough to benefit from these announcements."
"The impact of this exceptional extreme weather on farm businesses and farm confidence means immediate support is needed to rebuild resilience."
"There are farmers in this country that right now are nearly up to their overdraft limits."
"They haven't got a crop in the ground that they're going to profit from for this year and they have to get from harvest 2024 to harvest 2025."
"The stress in the farming community at the moment with such wet weather - I've never known it in my farming career."
Because of the lack of confidence production intentions have also plummeted
"We've got to look after these people or they simply will not survive until next year."
"Many NFU members in the county face a serious short term crisis."
"The NFU confidence survey highlighted that short to mid term confidence is the lowest since 2010."
"Because of the lack of confidence production intentions have also plummeted with all farming sectors expecting to decrease production over the next year. "
Growing food in this country is far better
He also spoke to us about the announcement about reducing fruit and veg imports.
He welcomes the PM's announcement about that and says importing isn't ideal .
"Sometimes it can be questionable - what chemicals have been sprayed on that to achieve that goal."
"How cheap it's been produced and how many people have been made to work on farms that maybe there are unsafe conditions."
"We on the other hand have so many high standards with red tractor and what we do."
"Growing food in this country is far better."