Farms orgs call for long-term fix to UK's drought problem
While welcoming the new drought support package, several farm organisations have called upon the UK government to introduce more long-term measures rather than "temporary fixes" to help farmers adapt to climate change.
The call to action follows the announcement of £65 million in new government funding for English farmers that are dealing with the ongoing drought conditions.
The allocation represents an additional £50 million towards this year's budget for the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), while the remaining £15 million will be invested in the development of on-farm reservoirs.
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) vice-president Robyn Munt stated that the investment in the SFI scheme is "crucial" for farmers who are looking to strengthen their farms' "resilience against the climate pressures we see today".
Munt noted that the new derogations on SFI requirements will provide "much needed flexibility" for farmers affected by drought impacts, such as reduced forage stocks and increased wildfire risk.
On-farm reservoirs
President of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), Gavin Lane described the support package as a "pragmatic move but little more than a temporary fix".
Lane said: "The announcement that the government will make it easier to build on-farm reservoirs is a positive step, but the £15 million made available will fund a fraction of the reservoirs we need.
"This needs to become a sustained programme, with planning and abstraction lined up in support.
"The vast bulk of the cost of building on-farm reservoirs will still fall on farmers, who are already facing record costs as well as absorbing new tax burdens."
The CLA president added that the investment "will not change the reality that farming remains exceptionally difficult in this business environment, and in a country that does not have a plan for climate change adaption."
BFU
The British Farming Union (BFU) felt that the UK government should view its support package as "the start of a longer-term approach to agricultural resilience, rather than another short-term response to a crisis."
BFU chair George Brown commented: "Farmers do not want to continually find themselves in a position where they need to be ‘saved’ after a crisis has already taken hold.
"The £65 million package is a step in the right direction, but genuine resilience means creating a farming sector that is profitable, productive, and equipped to withstand difficult conditions before the next crisis arrives."
