Sustain’s new briefing presents principles and policies that would deliver better food and farming when the UK leaves the European Common Agriculture Policy. It recommends that the next Government should retain taxpayer support for farmers post-Brexit, but replace the old two pillar EU system with a new four-part deal for farming based on payments for public goods, capital grants, free advice and wider policy measures to ensure farmers can thrive.
Sustain believes that a focus on high volume, low standard production is a real risk, posed by a de-regulatory agenda and new international trade deals, and wrong for the future well-being of our nation and the UK farming industry. Our policies must also not harm farmers in the global south or lead to weaker standards.
‘Beyond 2020: New farm policy’ proposes crucial wider policy measures, including; a strengthened and extended Groceries Code Adjudicator; maintenance the organic legal standards and new labelling regulations; reforms to farm tenancy rules and strong worker protection; high standards for public procurement of food; and trade policies that promote these commitments, including transparent trade deals that must demonstrate how they support and do not undermine UK farming.
The full report is available to download at: https://www.sustainweb.org/publications/beyond_2020_new_farm_policy/
For more information contact: Vicki Hird, Sustainable Farming Campaign Coordinator (vicki@sustainweb.org)