So Easy to Forget!

Mon 10 September 2018

The bureaucracy and red tape attached to the food production chain is now daunting when one remembers that farming is growing and rearing food to eat. It seems that every possible interest group, quango, government department has to have an input. Nor must we forget all the law and regulation that exists which governs food production. The whole thing is becoming more complicated as every year goes by and there must be a huge amount of duplication.

All of this is cost that is being added to the farmer and processors expenditure column. Is it not time for a comprehensive review of where we are in relation to agriculture and horticulture? Is it not time that someone tried to bring together the main objectives and actually decide whether you can have cheap, healthy home grown meat and produce? As the regulations increase any chance of delivering these main objectives recedes. Somehow we need to get back to remembering that in most cases, farming is about family run businesses that operate on minimal margins because the participant really enjoy what they do and are proud of their heritage.

Glyn Owens, Knighton Office - 01547 528621