I grew up on a farm and I worked in the farming industry. My parents and my brother still live and work on our farm. I’ve seen first-hand the impossible pressures farmers are under.
My brother was forced to give up his dairy herd in recent years as it simply wasn’t sustainable in the current climate. And he’s not alone. Instead of supporting farmers, these Conservatives are driving them out of business and endangering their livelihoods.
The Conservatives have failed to guarantee UK food standards in trade deals, undermining our farmers and risking their very livelihoods.
They are cutting farmers' existing payments before the new Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs) is even ready.
They have slashed business energy support and failed to class farmers as energy intensive businesses, depriving them of vital support.
Meanwhile, farmers cannot access workers due to the government's botched Brexit deal. In the first half of 2022, £60m worth of fruit and veg went to waste just because of workforce shortages.
The Conservatives’ failure to back British farming is driving up food prices and it’s ordinary people who are suffering.
British farmers are the best in the world, Liberal Democrats want to see them continuing to produce high quality food for our tables while protecting and enhancing our natural environment. That’s why today we passed comprehensive new policy to support British farming, protect our environment and secure our food supply:
Farmers are at the heart of rural communities, they feed our nation, they are custodians of our landscapes.
The Liberal Democrats are committed to supporting British farming to continue safeguarding our environment and producing the high quality food we all want for generations to come.
Liberal Democrats are backing British farmers. Will you add your name to back our farmers?