Government Ag policy has drifted into unreality.

A thread https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="—" title="Nach rechts zeigender Pfeil mit KrĂŒmmung nach unten" aria-label="Emoji: Nach rechts zeigender Pfeil mit KrĂŒmmung nach unten">

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Brexit has ensured that no British government in memory has lavished so many warm words on its farmers, but the reality of policy discussions behind the scenes often seems far more ambivalent towards the future of a ÂŁ122bn food & farming industry.

2/ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8060473/Britain-doesnt-need-farmers-reveal-leaked-emails-senior-government-official.html">https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...
Britain doesn't need farmers, reveal leaked senior official emails

In leaked emails obtained by The Mail on Sunday, powerful Treasury adviser Tim Leunig argues that the food sector is not 'critically important' to the economy.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8060473/Britain-doesnt-need-farmers-reveal-leaked-emails-senior-government-official.html
Ultimately, government’s plan for post-Brexit farming does not work.

Removing globally universal state support for food production, increasing domestic standards & opening markets up to unfair competition = a devastating triple whammy for https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇬🇧" title="Flagge des Vereinigten Königreiches" aria-label="Emoji: Flagge des Vereinigten Königreiches"> farmers.

3/ https://twitter.com/joewstanley/status/1312118379721814016">https://twitter.com/joewstanl...
ELM has been in development for four years, is referenced as the solution to all our problems, and yet seems to be little different to that which has gone before - and does nothing to address the looming crisis of farm profitability.

4/ https://twitter.com/joewstanley/status/1307274098654015490">https://twitter.com/joewstanl...
But government now refuses even to consider reasonable amendments to the draft legislation.

Despite doing everything possible to avoid scrutiny & undermine trust, we are told to accept ministers’ word of honour that we will not be sold out.

5/ https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/farm-policy/government-to-reject-lords-amendments-on-food-standards">https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/farm...
Government to reject Lord's amendments on food standards - Farmers Weekly

The UK government has no intentions of accepting any amendments to the Agriculture Bill when it returns to the House of Commons – including those relating

https://www.fwi.co.uk/news/farm-policy/government-to-reject-lords-amendments-on-food-standards
Despite the unequivocal experience of 2020 proving that UK citizens categorically will not ‘Pick for Britain’, this is still proposed as the solution to the >60,000 shortfall in migrant labour needed in our horticulture sector.

That’s not a strategy; it’s a bad joke.

6/ https://twitter.com/FGAbiKay/status/1313478251357057025">https://twitter.com/FGAbiKay/...
The excuse that we cannot implement standards on food imports as we may disadvantage developing countries seems to be less of an issue when it comes to imported sugar cane...

7/ https://twitter.com/lisaocarroll/status/1312682739582238720">https://twitter.com/lisaocarr...
...where a planned £73m tariff break will allow the UK’s sole cane sugar producer (and government donor) to bypass developing economies from which they can already import tariff-free under EU rules.

8/ https://www.fginsight.com/brexit-hub/brexit---farmer-comment/this-governments-sugar-plans-show-no-minister-is-backing-british-farming--111245">https://www.fginsight.com/brexit-hu...
This Government’s sugar plans show no Minister is backing British farming

This Government’s sugar plans, whether changing the tariff regime or refusing to reconsider the neonics ban for beet, prove no Minister is backing British farming, says Leicestershire arable and beef...

https://www.fginsight.com/brexit-hub/brexit---farmer-comment/this-governments-sugar-plans-show-no-minister-is-backing-british-farming--111245
Of course, the EU of 27 nations is the perfect trading partner when it comes to our lamb; they already take it and they are geographically next door. Unlike Kuwait.

But no stone seems to be now left unturned in demonising our most important agricultural trading partner.

9/ https://twitter.com/farmersguardian/status/1313471717885587458">https://twitter.com/farmersgu...
I’m personally becoming incredibly tired of government MPs across the country pledging to back their farming constituents before promptly doing absolutely nothing in the voting lobbies to follow through - and then telling farmers to trust them, or that we ‘don’t understand.’

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We have it in our grasp to make https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇬🇧" title="Flagge des Vereinigten Königreiches" aria-label="Emoji: Flagge des Vereinigten Königreiches"> agriculture the envy of the world.

But first government has to reconnect with reality & put its promises & commitments into legislation.

The Ag Bill returns to the Commons next week - and we’re in the last chance saloon.

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