CLA Midlands attends the Farmers Weekly Question Time
Representatives from the CLA Midlands joined a variety of farmers for the Farmers Weekly Question Time
Representatives from the CLA Midlands joined a variety of farmers for the Farmers Weekly Question Time hosted by Johann Tasker at Harper Adams University in February.
The panel included Olly Harrison, a Merseyside Arable Farmer and Agricultural YouTube Influencer. Vicki Hird, Head of sustainable farming from Sustain. Professor Michael Lee FRSA, Deputy Vice Chancellor from Harper Adams University and the Rt Hon Mark Spencer MP, Minister of state (Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries).
With so many announcements relating to Environmental Land Management Schemes throughout January, our Communications Manager Natalie Oakes was first up to pose a question.
What is the best way to encourage more farmers to participate in the Government’s Environmental Land Management Scheme?
The question was taken up by Mr Spencer with him replying “That’s my number one ambition, the first thing we do is we increase the payments to make sure that they are attractive and credible.”
He went on to say that the schemes need to be easy to understand and accessible, that farmers have been listened to and that there is now a good menu of options available. The Government needs the help and support of stakeholders to make sure that people are well informed.
We have a massive global challenge and we have to go in a direction which is more sustainable and be able to produce food at the same time