You may well ask me; what do you know about farming?  The answer is that 41 years ago I married a farmer, so quite a lot. I certainly know what long hours they work.  I am not brilliant on a tractor but I did do the farm accounts so I know that the hours worked do not relate to the return on investment.  

For many years our farmers have relied on subsidies.  After leaving the EU  the government set about redesigning the agricultural subsidy system CAP (Common Agricultural Policy).

They declared that from now on ‘Public money would be for Public good’ and that the way forward would be called ELMS Environmental Land Management Scheme which would be phased in over 5 years with subsidies being reduced each year. But the new scheme has been complex and the payments were ridiculously small.  We looked at it and decided that the income we would get was not worth the time that it would take me to do the paperwork and the restrictions that it would place on us.

The government finally offered us a viable payment this year.  Like most farmers we use a land agent to check our figures and advise us.  We had our annual meeting and agreed the plan for the next year.  Two days later the government changed the policy yet again and reduced the land that you could claim payments on dramatically. Nightmare.

This year has been particularly hard for farmers. The incessant rain has made crop establishment difficult. Low prices and Brexit complications have hit farmers badly and some have lost 70% of their income with little prospect of immediate improvement. The situation is untenable. Small family farms are gradually disappearing as young people turn their backs on agriculture. Certainly the future of farming is under threat along with the future of farmers.

It almost feels that we are asking farmers to do the impossible. We want them to provide the best food for us from the optimum soil and biodiversity, maintain our quintessential countryside, using no chemicals but we are not prepared to help them make that transition from a more intensive chemical based agricultural approach to more sustainable methods which are healthier for soil, plants, bees, birds and us. 

It’s no wonder that the situation has caused riots and blockades across Europe and causes enormous strain on mental health. Worryingly, every week, three people in the UK farming and agricultural industry die by suicide and the suicide rate for male farm workers is three times the male national average. 

When the consumer talks about farming the point that everyone comes back to is that we need to grow our own food in this country. Of course, it is true that it is better if we grow good food here.  We should be able to achieve that and look after the environment as well. Biodiversity and soil health are critical when growing any crop.

By supporting farmers to work sustainably, we could turn around the desperate loss of biodiversity that we are seeing here.  We can do this without losing our reputation as the ‘bread basket of England’.  The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group FWAG are already encouraging and advising farmers but without sufficient financial support but it is a step too far for many small farming businesses without the necessary financial support to implement changes.

The Green Party manifesto tries to pull together the connection between what we eat and farming and biodiversity to encourage farmers to be stewards of our rich agricultural lands so that they can produce healthy food for us to consume.

Listen to Ellie Chowns on the Farming programme on 28th June to hear how we plan to support agriculture and the environment.