Public money should pay farmers to provide public goods, debate hears

Farmers should be paid by the public purse to provide public goods according to a debate held at the Royal Highland Show.

The debate, held by the Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), was led by a panel of young people working in Scotland’s land-based industries to mark Scotland’s Year of Young People.

Chaired by BBC Farming Today’s Anna Hill, the four panellists included a dairy farmer from the West of Scotland, Colin Ferguson.

He argued that there should be no support for farmers, that subsidy quashes entrepreneurialism and adversity drives innovation as seen in New Zealand and the dairy sector in Scotland.

Sarah Millar, who works from the Soil Association and sits on the National Council for Rural Advisors, argued strongly for the need to understand what the public want and for farmers to market themselves better.

National Chairman of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC), David Lawrie put forward the challenge that UK agriculture is failing to tap into rural youth.

He also highlighted the importance of technology and argued that poor connectivity is hugely detrimental to their lives and businesses.

Deer stalker and Lantra Learner of the Year 2018, Megan Rowland put forward her argument for land use and the knock-on effect it has on other farming nations around the world, and how the UK can adopt practices from other countries.

The audience vote confirmed the Twitter poll launched by OFC in which 85% believed farmers should be paid for public goods.

Asked what services farmers should provide for the public good, 53% voted for enhancing the environment and 30% for education and tourism; 8% voted for forestry, and other suggestions included providing health and social care.