Farmers in the Harrogate district have expressed fears for their future as the industry prepares for its biggest shake-up in almost 50 years.
The government confirmed this week farmers will lose 50 per cent of the support payments they receive from the European Union by 2024.
George Eustice, the Environment Secretary, said the government’s new system, named Environmental Land Management, will pay farmers if they prevent floods, plant woods and help wildlife.
But details of replacement support payments when the post-Brexit transition period ends on 31 December remain unclear.
Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society
Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, the farming charity that organises the Great Yorkshire Show, said:
“It has been clear for some time that the current system of support payments will change, but there remains real anxiety about what the government’s future agricultural policy will mean for family farming businesses and livelihoods.
“Many farmers stand willing to embrace the changes ahead, however a lack of practical detail about how new support arrangements will work for farm businesses continues to make it difficult to plan for the future.”
Read more:
Mr Pulling added the society “will continue to support the farming community throughout the forthcoming transition” by “offering opportunities for skills development and knowledge exchange” and by promoting agriculture.
Sheep farmers are expected to be among the worst hit if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
The EU is the UK’s biggest export market for lamb: 90% of all lamb exports go to the EU so the industry could be devastated by tariffs.
This could have severe implications for sheep farmers in the district.
Beckwithshaw farmer David Wilson, chair of the Dalesbred Sheep Breeders Association, said many farmers could go out of business if the situation was not resolved.
Mr Wilson, whose son is the fifth generation of the family farming business, said:
“The future of farming is at stake. We just don’t know what is going to happen. We don’t know if we are coming or going.”
Two Harrogate district MPs voted in favour of the government’s Internal Market Bill yesterday, helping to take it to the next legislative stage.
Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP, and Nigel Adams, Selby and Ainsty MP, voted in line with the government but Julian Smith, Skipton and Ripon MP, abstained.
The legislation paves the way for the UK to override parts of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement. MPs voted it through at the third reading last night by 340 to 256.
The Bill sparked controversy after Northern Ireland secretary, Brandon Lewis, said it would break international law in a “specific and limited way”.
Read more:
- Allow care home visits, says Andrew Jones MP
- ‘No worse time’ for devolution, say council leaders
- District MPs decline to comment on ‘broken’ covid testing system
The Stray Ferret contacted Mr Jones, Mr Adams and Mr Smith asking why they voted the way they did. None had replied by the time of publication.
The Bill will now undergo further scrutiny in the House of Lords.
What is the Internal Market Bill?
After the UK left the EU on January 31 it signed the Withdrawal Agreement.
The agreement included a Northern Ireland Protocol, which was designed to prevent a hard border returning to the island of Ireland.
The Internal Market Bill attempts to override parts of the agreement. It would allow the UK to modify or reinterpret state aid rules if the two sides do not strike a future trade deal.
Harrogate district MPs silent over post-Brexit billAll three of the MPs covering the Harrogate district have remained silent about tonight’s vote on the government’s Internal Market Bill.
The Stray Ferret contacted Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon MP Julian Smith and Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams for their views on the bill, but has yet to receive a response.
MPs are set to vote on the legislation at its second reading tonight.
The bill seeks to override some aspects of the UK’s withdrawal agreement with the European Union.
Read more:
Northern Ireland secretary, Brandon Lewis, has said it would break international law in a “specific and limited way”.
Some Conservative MPs are expected to vote against the bill or abstain.
Patrick Milne, who lives in Harrogate, has sent the Stray Ferret a copy of an email he has written to Mr Jones asking him to confirm that he would uphold the rule of law.
The email says:
“Could you please confirm that as lawfully elected Parliamentary representative for Harrogate and Knaresborough, you will at all times support and defend the rule of law, domestic and international?
“Could you also please confirm that you will never, under any circumstances, support or vote in favour of any action which breaks, or proposes to break the law, even in a ‘very specific and limited way’?”
Five former Prime Ministers have spoken out against the government’s plan. David Cameron said today that breaking an international treaty should be a “final resort”.
Sir John Major, Theresa May, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have also criticised the government.
What is the Internal Market Bill?
After the UK left the EU on January 31 it signed a withdrawal agreement.
The agreement included a Northern Ireland Protocol, which was designed to prevent a hard border returning to the island of Ireland.
The Internal Market Bill attempts to override parts of the agreement and would allow the UK to modify or reinterpret state aid rules if the two sides do not strike a future trade deal.