The Tenant Farmers Association is holding a special meeting to discuss the need to put active farmers back at the centre of the Common Agricultural Policy reform debate.
The TFA has long argued that only, truly active farmers should be eligible to receive payments available under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy.
TFA North East Chairman Ken Lumley said “Increasingly, landlords have been able to capitalise on CAP payments and this is having a detrimental impact on land management, particularly in the uplands. We are seeing dangerous levels of destocking resulting in reduced biodiversity and wider damage to farming and rural communities.”
The TFA defines an active farmer as someone in occupation of land who is taking the economic risk of the activities on that land and is in day to day management control.
“We need to get back to basics, the CAP is all about sustainable increases in productivity to ensure a fair standard of living to farmers whilst stabilising markets and assuring food security at reasonable prices. None of this is achieved if landlords are allowed to walk away with the benefit of the payments,” said Mr Lumley.
“Given the volatility of global climate change and varying weather patterns, the increase in world population, the growing awareness of soil degradation and the likelihood of diminishing payments coming through the CAP, now is the time to have a proper debate over the active farmer issue ahead of the next round of European talks to decide the future of agricultural support, due to be finalised by 2020. We must ensure that every penny of taxpayers support goes to achieving the CAP’s original objectives,” said Mr Lumley.
To discuss this the Tenant Farmers Association is holding a special meeting at Hexham Auction Mart on 24 February 2016 at 7:30pm where speakers will include Christopher Cooke of Land and Livestock Management for Life - part of the Savory Institute Hub Network and Richard Brown of Richard Brown Chartered Surveyors based in Northumberland.
“The TFA wants a vibrant debate and all are welcome to attend,” said Mr Lumley.