0:00

I'm. Your partisan welcome to the daily

0:02

where it is time for another inner

0:04

cities of special pre election reports, fault

0:06

lines and the issue under the spotlight

0:08

today is farming. Think

0:11

there's a lot of fans and Farm of. With

0:15

actually Philo but the. Their

0:17

livelihood than their living in there in

0:20

the farm, the generations of work for.

0:23

Are genuinely after point throw week.

0:25

You know who it is. It's

0:27

gonna be valuable for the future.

0:31

Know, Having grown up close to

0:33

if not exactly in the countryside,

0:35

I've always had something of an

0:38

interest in how the food I

0:40

eat gets in my belly. You

0:42

could see the beef we ate

0:44

ruling the feuds nearby meets that

0:46

my family bought at the decidedly

0:48

unglamorous local farm shop long before

0:50

anyone had had diddly squat of

0:52

celebrities telling the land. Fast forward

0:54

to today, and who isn't familiar

0:56

with terms like food miles, farm

0:58

to table or food security. One

1:00

and. Well.

1:06

Quite a lot it would seem. Farmers.

1:09

Are angry protests have been held

1:11

across the country as the agricultural

1:13

sector evolves in post bricks Britain.

1:17

Of course a local say actually no farmers. If

1:20

they want the taxpayer subsidies that

1:23

they've got to look after the

1:25

environment, I think that you're right

1:27

when problems wouldn't eat berries ball.

1:34

Cheap foreign imports, changes to subsidies

1:36

and a massive farmers leaving. The

1:38

sector have combined to make this a

1:40

real issue com the election, even if

1:42

many of us haven't yet realised. A

1:46

reporter behind the latest in our fault line

1:49

cities as or West of England and Wales

1:51

Correspondent Dan Why it doesn't look. I understand

1:53

that farming is is not the industry that

1:55

it once was, but what is surprised me

1:58

from you reporting is the anger. Level

2:00

of anger. and you've been speaking to plenty.

2:02

People just reflect on that. Yet. We

2:04

spent the last couple of

2:06

months feel trampolines both Wales

2:08

and begin speaking to a

2:10

real range of farmers. Are

2:12

less wealthy much smaller than

2:15

farmers seed. At Snowdonia

2:17

Rice three to multi million

2:19

pound fruit farming operations at

2:21

Downing tents and. A

2:23

Will Three Dixie. Speaking to all

2:25

pharmacies, you're right. There is a

2:27

tangible level of anger. Will.

2:29

Cease complicated when you try to explain

2:31

why farmers I'm rich people, Is that.

2:34

The. At those are upset if

2:36

farmers all in different ways But of

2:39

all of these issues sam. Ah,

2:41

postscripts is a other now really starting

2:43

to fight and take effect. And

2:46

this is something that again absolutely fascinates

2:48

and and tinted surprises me. I I

2:50

suspect many people listening to this podcast

2:53

will have thought that that subsidies that

2:55

suppresses farmers When the weight of our

2:57

relationship with the European Union prospects of

2:59

the that's not the case they are

3:02

still receiving subsidies. These subsidies that from

3:04

with conditions these days yet he was

3:06

didn't conditions so basically it was noticed

3:08

tend to become an agricultural policy when

3:11

we were still in Edu that went

3:13

away postscript sit and as a devolved

3:15

issues. Or governments across the United Kingdom

3:17

a about have been your own Agricultural

3:19

are laws and rules over how subsidies

3:22

work. Subsidies are brought in the after

3:24

World War Two to basically guarantees food

3:26

security and they've always been around in

3:28

some form of the alpha so he

3:30

wails a consulting or plans to to

3:32

come in next year. Twenty Twenty five.

3:35

Would. Be problems of farmers faces they they

3:37

will that cashew the government. They. Need

3:39

to set aside ten percent of their

3:42

eligible land or tree cover and ten

3:44

percent and natural habitats. So analyst A

3:46

sorry have a farmer who might have

3:48

a very small farm. and

3:51

a small about eligible land. Who

3:53

is faced with losing potentially twenty

3:55

percent of it's a natural habitat

3:57

and trees? That they say. The

4:00

make a farm financially and viability increase

4:02

their carbon footprint. Only been chatting says

4:04

to a farmer in North Wales rotary

4:07

up in a bar and said Abs

4:09

and us very much his his case.

4:12

Obviously. They the half this. Case.

4:14

Less doc which makes us. Less.

4:16

Effective. Or then

4:19

means buying in Aleppo in South Africa

4:21

soon be able to produce enough hey

4:23

and sale is over the summer to

4:25

kind of influence. At

4:29

all of costs. My

4:32

husband's worse since means in or

4:35

fine and curbing isn't holding his

4:37

and some of the fans. But.

4:39

I suppose if you're going to cut

4:41

he just said to be more environmentally

4:43

friendly. Mint isn't as an actor to

4:46

reach a decent place to start. Yeah,

4:48

I mean let's not be around the

4:50

bush. Agriculture across the Uk to be

4:52

pretty sure accounts for and Ten cents

4:54

is the case. greenhouse gas emissions or

4:56

say something. he has to be done

4:58

and I haven't said your home and

5:00

he disagrees with me. The ball say

5:02

that they have been custodians of On

5:04

whether it's in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland,

5:06

or England for many thousands of years

5:08

and they do. Look after the

5:10

land, But of course in his modern

5:13

era farming you've you've got chemical use

5:15

each and Unity address. That's the problem.

5:17

The farmers and say is all very

5:19

well, forcing me to increase in our

5:21

trees. I have my father order to

5:24

get that subsidies. The Welsh farmer we

5:26

spoke you Rotary up in a bar

5:28

in Saudi Arabia. Subsidies make up forty

5:30

percent of his income, so they're absolutely

5:32

vital. Ceases Survival is has been the

5:35

first time I've actually had sleepless nights

5:37

thinking am I going to be silly

5:39

and affiliates. Like me And that's not

5:41

an easy thing to think about when

5:43

you have been facts of this forth

5:46

for five generations. To think that you

5:48

might be the one. This fails. But.

5:50

He will say so very well pod seeing a

5:52

treat to the same time going to see market

5:54

a you will find a chicken breast the sale.

5:57

I. For one pound, the simple life in Brazil. It

6:00

was Italian according to be Sama because a

6:02

one had you Will we increasing our interests

6:04

you will find meet roll over the world.

6:06

Now Sigma is I was could be home

6:08

to bring identity Look at what we eat

6:10

in the Uk about fifty four percent of

6:13

a homegrown he just day read me greens

6:15

we make it Also Mister Fifty Four Sep

6:17

twenty eight sentence me he's and the rest

6:19

were around the well we've had him for

6:21

some either Decades is not the survey of

6:23

rent seats at issue of. What? Farmers

6:25

are worried about his post rec see

6:27

it as need. Trade deals are signed

6:30

by the government like the one with

6:32

Australia New Zealand was that will in

6:34

their. Mind and and

6:36

said it would increase unsatisfied

6:38

increase at imports are and

6:40

that will make it even

6:42

harder for farmers to produce.

6:45

A British at sea of

6:47

fifties that if you're getting

6:49

chicken from Brazil, The.

6:51

There is a question as to whether or

6:53

not the standards are the same as the

6:55

very high standards. the British fall necessity at

6:57

Produce see. So. Is a moment and

7:00

kinda that they feel that. Those

7:02

pricks it about widens out as more

7:04

is imported from abroad of and see

7:06

that will suppress British farmers. We are

7:09

seeing that upper pretty traumas for his

7:11

fall and around thirteen thousand I know

7:13

last ten years or so to it's

7:15

lowest level and Mobile farms will got

7:18

a business haven't found a former over

7:20

the last couple of months you're at

7:22

doesn't know enough allergies to be gone

7:25

out of business things off financially viable

7:27

with these impulse gang in the supermarkets.

7:30

Putting pressure on costs ankles rise until

7:32

several facing as well. My

7:34

as fair as when I look at

7:36

my friends that children are not interested.

7:38

I saw the next generation uncommon it

7:41

farm and the average age reform earnest

7:43

countries already Seven say there's not anyone

7:45

going to come into the industry some

7:47

a lot. More

7:49

lights on. And it's.

7:54

But. Do these farmers except the site that we

7:56

are going to Cost of Living crisis and

7:58

then ultimately whilst plenty. People will be concerned

8:01

about where their food comes from. Will want

8:03

to do the best buy. The environment will

8:05

want my local we a possible in of

8:07

a chicken cost ten times the chicken cost

8:09

to bench. Which are people

8:11

going to buy? It's a question

8:13

which he says by every family

8:15

in the country we filmed in

8:17

our peace we are moving closer

8:19

managed to he. Went easy

8:21

seen he I see actually structure cool with

8:24

with every family as she wants to buy

8:26

british sheet she says actually had tears in

8:28

a farm is to just have other kind

8:30

of over that the end of the day

8:32

she cares about feeding had suits what she

8:34

wants and we haven't joined our on a

8:36

supermarket shelf we didn't settle what devices by

8:39

what you bought your kids people some frozen

8:41

sausages and. As. They were

8:43

made from nani you pokes at

8:45

he normally you'd be casings and

8:47

and it was a fractured of

8:49

the of the cost if you

8:51

would get your butcher to buy.

8:54

Some nice sausages or a nice state, you

8:56

know, have come from a fall within ten

8:59

miles and it's an absolute luxury a choice

9:01

isn't. If. You go to a

9:03

major supermarket or perhaps what other

9:05

low rent cheaper supermarkets. You.

9:07

Can get up produce for city

9:09

section of the price people have

9:11

with that was and. You're. In

9:14

a net cost of living prices families have got it A

9:16

got a choice to make. If it said the bridge com

9:18

is is that if they want they the british choice isn't

9:20

seats is going to cost too much fun as the. Next

9:24

move away from the supermarkets and and back

9:26

to thumbs down I gotta say I really

9:28

hope you been picking up free samples as

9:30

and each one that you've been visiting. lonely

9:33

sitting there that that strawberry farm that you

9:35

visited nazir the concerns web web of course

9:37

of a cost and competitiveness and but also

9:39

but the stuff that they have a really

9:41

interesting and unique problem that faced. By

9:44

pig farmers in the Uk. So he

9:46

provide strawberries and cherries and those are

9:48

the fruity pretty much a whole of

9:50

the major supermarkets in the Uk. We

9:52

walk him through his. a pulley

9:55

tunnels a straw be he has sublet seven

9:57

hundred tears of these pointilist mason set up

9:59

multi million pound wage bill. Pre-Brexit,

10:02

he could get his

10:04

staff from the EU very easily,

10:06

of course. He hires around 2000 staff

10:08

members at the peak harvest season. And when they

10:11

came from the EU, they could stay for a

10:13

year, two years, there was a much more flexibility,

10:15

of course, under the freedom of movement and the

10:17

freedom to work within the EU. That's gold. There's

10:19

a visa scheme. But his workers

10:22

now can only come for

10:24

a maximum of six months. By the time

10:26

he trains them, he houses them on

10:28

sign caravans, and he gets them

10:30

up to speed after a few months, they

10:33

pretty much have to go home. I don't need

10:35

people coming for six months. By the time a

10:37

person comes from six months, they've

10:39

just got good enough for me to make them

10:41

an economically viable worker, and then they have to

10:44

go home. The visa is only for

10:46

six months. They've basically put a hand behind my

10:48

back and told me to fight someone with a

10:50

gun. I have to, I'm

10:54

in inability, I just can't fight. I

10:56

can't negotiate fairly because the prices of

10:58

the fruit coming in from abroad is

11:01

not reflective of the same cost prices

11:03

we have. So for him, that very

11:05

slim margin when you're operating on that

11:07

level of production is making it even

11:09

more difficult, even at that

11:11

level of farm. Dan, thank

11:13

you. And we will be back to Dan just a

11:15

little later. But after the break, I'll be speaking

11:17

to the founder of the campaign group Save British

11:19

Farming. So stay for your. If

11:24

you asked 100 people where their food came

11:26

from, no doubt most would

11:28

say the supermarket went with a

11:30

little reflection. They probably realize it's

11:32

a bit more complicated than that.

11:35

But what it does show is that we

11:37

associate the things we eat with, where they're

11:39

bought, and how much they

11:41

cost rather than where and how they're

11:43

produced. And that does not bode well

11:45

for the agricultural sector. Liz Webster is

11:48

founder of Save British Farming and she

11:50

joins us on the daily. Liz, given

11:52

the title of your organization Save

11:55

British Farming, this might sound like a bit

11:57

of a daft question, but what sort of

11:59

state is British Bombing and right. While

12:01

it's pretty tyrants navy you

12:03

know I remember the to

12:05

break said Se Ne and

12:07

then disposable climate change proper

12:09

brown And than that no

12:12

Athena resilience, To the able to deal with

12:14

them. And all of the

12:16

worst since it happened. I warn you that

12:18

Gaza. A comment from has been

12:20

delayed. The worth it was Never remember the

12:22

summer on this farm when not going to

12:25

have a hobby for the first time ever.

12:27

And. We're not alone in that reality. I

12:29

mean it's it's hurry to stay to see

12:32

the full of I S if you look

12:34

around everywhere when you're driving around. You'll.

12:36

See that the sale. I

12:38

look can get dinner at a local.

12:40

loved on Can. And. They all

12:42

because nobody's. Been able to game

12:44

what we normally do sushi do

12:47

you same point the finger of

12:49

blame it on been clearly politicians

12:51

are vital role in this. We

12:53

have to consider the retailers perhaps

12:55

as possible problems supermarkets not paying

12:57

what Likud's. But paying the

12:59

minimum that the current at for for the

13:02

goods the you in to get your colleagues

13:04

produced. But but also the public can you

13:06

know I said like to blind people do.

13:08

The she says and we again we

13:10

present to dismiss except music as economic.

13:12

Pressure will perform consumers.

13:15

That that would mean that forbids ever be

13:17

more. Likely to go for the supreme

13:20

court for it's pets us as

13:22

a disadvantage because we can't produce.

13:24

agency play as countries and

13:26

on the other side. Of

13:28

the world advocates are weather and

13:30

lots of different tax and the

13:32

blame really is on a heavily

13:35

populated. An urban

13:37

society. I. Am I saying

13:39

can? and also I would say the political.

13:41

System thinks ass off the pace.

13:44

And up the rural areas a

13:46

large she lay by geographical area

13:48

at representation in licence test has

13:50

been poor I think from the

13:52

supermarkets points of view I see

13:55

them as annoyance and lonely. She

13:57

legacy own it's it's long days

13:59

and. the lines to go and roam

14:02

everywhere, they're going to eat

14:04

everything. I mean, looking at the politics

14:06

right now, and of course you'll be keenly aware of

14:08

the fact, as everyone is right now, that we are

14:10

on the cusp of another general election. Do

14:12

you see anything in what the

14:15

Labour Party is offering or even discussing

14:17

right now that makes you think that

14:19

your lot might be better with a

14:21

change of government? Yes,

14:23

we're facing unprecedented challenges with

14:25

food in the next year

14:28

to two years, even in the

14:30

state it's in now, and that's without

14:32

anything bad happening. So they really need to

14:34

get to go through, oh, ramping

14:37

up food production here, but b,

14:39

we need to free up the

14:41

trade with our nearest

14:44

market, because there's obviously

14:46

matters, particularly for goods,

14:48

fresh goods, and

14:50

the Brexit trade barriers are only

14:52

actually adding to our misery of

14:55

food shortages and food inflation. Farmers and

14:57

the men did vote for Brexit, did

14:59

vote to leave the European Union of

15:02

farmers. Well, that's the myth. But

15:05

farmers voted pretty much in line with the rest

15:07

of the country. In fact, if anything, it's probably

15:09

a bit lower, given that most are men, and

15:12

most are older, because men voted by 55%

15:14

for Brexit. Largely,

15:18

it's a myth that farmers voted for

15:21

Brexit, but it's something that is in

15:23

people's minds. I am very happy to

15:25

be corrected by the founder of Save British

15:27

Farming on exactly that point. Two

15:29

words at the heart of this, food security.

15:33

Does the British public understand

15:35

the concept of food security?

15:38

Why are our politicians not talking about it more?

15:40

We eat enough when it comes to energy, don't

15:42

we? I don't think

15:44

politicians understand food security. I think

15:46

they just think the supermarkets have

15:49

been so efficient that

15:51

they will be able to cope with

15:53

it. I mean, Liz, as you mentioned, this

15:55

is the first year, I think, you said that you're

15:57

not going to be bringing in that harvest. any

16:00

reason to be optimistic about the future

16:02

of British farming and very specifically the

16:04

future of your own farm? I

16:07

have to have hope but also what we

16:09

want is we want the public to get

16:11

behind us and instead of thinking oh not

16:13

another tractor, these farmers, what have they done,

16:16

we are working for you, we're

16:18

providing the food for you

16:20

that you rely on and which is

16:22

about you know public health as well

16:25

because if we don't produce your food

16:27

you're going to be eating stuff which

16:29

is mass process from

16:31

the other side of the world and only the rich will

16:33

be able to afford the nutritious healthy tasty

16:35

fish as huge and

16:37

that is not a situation that I'm comfortable

16:40

with or any of the farmers that I

16:42

know we believe in food

16:44

equality and that's what

16:46

I think the values within the

16:49

Labour Party are best placed

16:51

to serve us all and

16:53

I really hope that in a year's time I'm

16:55

talking to you and I'm saying I was right

16:57

to be optimistic because I don't want

16:59

to continue feeling depressed about it and

17:02

we only have to look at what happens in Sri

17:05

Lanka to see what goes wrong if there's not enough

17:07

food. You know two years ago they

17:09

had terrible riots, a country that's never

17:11

had food to do in its history

17:14

and went through a similar thing

17:16

to Brexit making bad decisions which

17:19

collapsed their food system and we

17:21

need to avoid that at all

17:23

costs Well

17:25

Liz we'll have you back on the podcast in

17:28

the year and we'll find out won't we Liz

17:30

Webster founder of Save British Farming. Well

17:33

let's finish with Dan Whitehead once again. I

17:35

mean Dan is there any reason for optimism

17:38

in the domestic agriculture sector? I mean the

17:40

reason you're reporting I think suggested as many

17:42

as 13 000

17:45

farmers have left agriculture recently the total number

17:47

of farmers is at its lowest in a

17:49

decade. I mean I'm looking around and there

17:51

seems to be precious little reason for optimism

17:54

so please tell me I'm wrong. There's a

17:56

general feeling amongst farmers that The

17:58

government thinks, well hold on a minute. The

18:00

public generally. On. A mass maybe?

18:02

Don't care that much. Okay nice people who go to

18:04

the book is imply that lottery choice will we do?

18:06

They could still do that. So. Farming can be

18:09

squeezed it it can be a lot treat. A

18:11

choice-of is a real reason to panic about this

18:13

too much. another real something such as to why

18:15

the government not see my know can't seem. Is.

18:19

That seventy percent of the duties

18:21

love is taking Python Seven Zero

18:23

to sit, he puncture beats list

18:25

and hop around half a percent

18:28

to Gdp. The. Com made what

18:30

we think he will have on the the what Do We Do with

18:32

Atlanta. Is. Ongoing Post: What.

18:35

The. Body Politic the voters themselves.

18:37

Then time this is caught part

18:39

of our fault line. Cds we

18:41

out in an election cycle. And

18:43

why? Why should the British public

18:46

be mindful of the concerns of

18:48

these farmers? Can As as already

18:50

mentioned for some of them, buying

18:52

British is a luxury choice. And.

18:55

Gonna cost is king for most people, rightness?

18:57

Yeah, absolutely not the bottom line or isn't

19:00

it? And and that is what people will.

19:02

We ultimately care about. You struggle to find

19:04

it. A member the public into

19:06

from novels or farming and a support

19:09

I did you see is that comic

19:11

images of the United Kingdom of the

19:13

green rolling hills. What fathers will say

19:15

is wow why you should care Why

19:17

is it a voting issue is it's

19:20

not just about high on expensive statement

19:22

expensive package sausages here you purchase or

19:24

efforts on farmers do a lot in

19:26

agony seeds asking the figure's something like

19:28

for every farm job he supports nine

19:30

others. And. You know if

19:33

farming and small communities? Suppose.

19:35

Local shops and supports pubs it employees, people

19:37

have a and that is infrastructure not just

19:39

one little pocket there are you to go

19:41

outside and Forty Five has pretty much that

19:43

the that the majority of the country Uma

19:46

You'd ever get to be far away from

19:48

a farm and those rolling hills or a

19:50

what makes this country sites a father's inside

19:52

the it is about and be sheath. It

19:55

is in decline, production is heading for

19:57

record lows and I see if he

19:59

wants. The default and if you lose

20:01

the farmers will continue to to these the

20:03

farmers and not a fourth a political parties

20:06

come up with policies to ensure their security

20:08

at then actually have a far bigger impact

20:10

the whether or not yet estate comes from.

20:14

The European Union or when it comes from down

20:16

the down arrow is an impact or can be

20:18

cheese me for structure of not as countryside like

20:21

that my front of proceed you can. Dance

20:23

many Thanks Matt! It may not be

20:25

the issue that defines the next election,

20:27

but the future of farming is something

20:29

of which we all need to be

20:31

more mindful. And

20:36

six. Far from being

20:38

said secure. If we ignore the

20:40

agricultural sector six like than some,

20:42

perhaps much of it could be

20:44

lost forever. Never has the phrase

20:46

you reporting so be more appropriate.

20:49

That's enough for this edition of the daily or Seat and

20:51

six.