Farming does matter
"The key to the future will be to ensure that farming has the capacity to produce the food and fuel the nation needs and of course the environment and landscape that it aspires," were the opening words from NFU Vice-President Paul Temple when he visited Montgomeryshire yesterday.
Speaking to a gathering of some 70 NFU Cymru members at Braichyfedw, near Staylittle, Paul Temple was keen to extol the positives about farming and what it contributes to the British economy and society.
"Farming has always been important to Britain and until quite recently no one questioned its value. Of course, it could hardly have been otherwise given the range of contributions that agriculture makes to our economy and way of life not least an adequate supply of affordable food and a uniquely beautiful landscape along with thousands of rural jobs.
"Given this, it is strange that in recent years a tendency has grown to discount the value of farming particularly the industry’s core objective of producing food. This tendency is wrong and more so it is dangerous. Wrong, because the breadth and depth of farming’s contribution depends crucially on its core objective of providing food profitably. Dangerous, because we now live in a world where the demand for food and fuel is rapidly outstripping our ability, world-wide, to supply it. Clearly it would be the height of irresponsibility to allow the productive potential of British farming to wither on the vine," said Paul Temple.
"We don’t need or want special government intervention, let us get on with the job and we will deliver what the nation needs. We need a fair competitive environment and sensible regulation and given these two things farmers are more than capable of taking the industry forwards themselves," added Paul Temple.
NFU Cymru Montgomeryshire County Chairman, David Jones, of Kerry closed the meeting with a simple message – "Let there be no doubt, if government continues to pursue unnecessary regulation such as sheep EID and fails to deliver on its own responsibilities such as eradicating TB then these are indeed dangerous times to ignore the contribution British farming can make to provide a secure and affordable supply of food at a time when the ability of the world to feed its ever growing population is clearly beginning to fail."
