AIBU to think that the UK cannot afford farmers?

[purpleleotard]

Given that for some farmers on marginal land earn 80% of their income from subsidies.
Presumably the government, of any colour, will be looking at the cost of these subsidies when we exit the EU.
Will the population be expected to pick up the exorbitant cost.
Some 'farmers' are controlling huge areas of land for their own enjoyment at the cost to the public purse.
I am especially exercised by farmers in mountain areas like Snowdonia who keep the hills bare of the natural trees by running large numbers of sheep, when more sheep equals more subsidy.

So, is @purpleleotard going to bother to come back and read any of this, I wonder?

Farmers should be paid a fair price for their produce, increasing the cost of meat would be beneficial to farmers and the health of our nation. Nothing makes me crosser than cheap meat. (I tell a lie, I accidentally bought New Zealand lamb this week, that made me cross with myself!)

Heaven forbid anyone should work hard and make a profit these days.

Leaving the EU we should be ploughing MORE into producing our own food.

So, is @purpleleotard going to bother to come back and read any of this, I wonder? hmm

Given that she was told to fuck off, I very much doubt it.

It does look as if she started a goady thread, then buggered off.

YABU and short sighted etc.

I have to say, I don't think that's the way to get sympathy and understanding of farming.

Agree dairyfarmerswife, some unfortunate connotations there! I thought your response was useful and informative.

I would say this was possibly a goady thread started with the aim of lobbing a stink bomb then fucking off, but imho there've been some valid points made and I for one have had some useful information already. This is something we need to talk about, isn't it?

Or maybe the op has slinked away after realising what a fool she has been?

Maybe, @MovingOn.

What on earth.

Here in the US there are limited subsidies for farmers compared to what is offered in Europe. The cost of food is much higher. We spend $1000 a month on food and DH brings home pork from work. We eat other meats 1-2 times a week and it's normally chicken which is quite cheap compared to other meats such as beef.

We have lots of people and families who have to rely on food stamps and WIC, which is part of the farming subsidy. There are kids in DDs class that won't have enough food during the summer holidays which start here in mid June through early September.

Jesus wept. As a labour voting townie (stop slagging us off please) all I can say is it's an interesting concept for dealing with overpopulation and obesity but has a few quiet obvious flaws.

Bless @Squoosh jealousy is so sad lol 😂

Jealous of what exactly?

lol

Fabulous idea, the job market isn't saturated enough as it is.

/s

Many thanks for all the responses.

I am a little disheartened by the abusive posting of some, without the merest justification of an argument. I have read all postings and taken time to consider a reply.

My reason for my posting was this article in the Guardian.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/03/brexit-could-wipe-out-welsh-farming-says-union

Now I agree that some newspapers have axes to grind but this is a quote from the farmers' representative.

I may have been hasty in lumping all farmers into one category. I'm sure that there are some in all sectors who are producing food without subsidy that the public can buy. Conversely others have listed 'slipper' farmers (a new term to me) collecting handouts.

Without doubt farming is a hard and relentless occupation.

Maybe this has caused some to think about the cost of food.

"Maybe this has caused some to think about the cost of food."

Has it caused YOU to think about the cost of food?

Now I agree that some newspapers have axes to grind
The Guardian wages a full time battle against farmers through George Monbiot.
but this is a quote from the farmers' representative From a farmers' representative. and how you could extrapolate your opening post from that article beggars belief.

I dont understand why people are saying that uk consumers will just have to pay more (and possible realistic) price for their food, when huge swathes of the UK are struggling to survive now (with food prices artificially depressed). Or is the argument that farmers will be subsidised by the UK instead of the EU (personally dont believe it will be to anything near the same funding as EU)? As someone upthread asked, who will be carrying out the manual work if immigrants are no longer available? Please dont say the unemployed. Manual labour and its wages wont attract many UK employees as it is menial crappy laborious work for equally crappy wages. EE around my parts are 'happy' to do the work only because (a) its a lot more than they would earn in their own country and (b) most live in shared accomodation/caravans so living costs are minimal, otherwise it wouldnt be viable.

Right, Purpleleotard - so how the government, and its farmers / agriculturists handle our food supply and its economy post-Brexit is an interesting, and enlightening, discussion. Unfortunately the way you wrote your OP sounded exactly like Goady Fuckery. Hence the response.

Perhaps we, as consumers, should be buying more at source? Or at least not from big businesses?

Perhaps farmers should have more control / ownership over the sales chain?

I used to work in Scandinavia. The farmers in the valley I lived in, and I think the whole region, were all shareholders / partners / owners in the dairy that collected, processed and sold the milk. They were the source and the middleman of the production chain.

OR, perhaps the supermarkets should pick up the risks and liabilities of production, since they seem to be the big profiteers, with NO risk! Do they suffer when the lettuce crop fails, or it rains on the harvest, or Foot and Mouth hits? Suppose they put their investment in at the beginning of the process - pay farmers a decent wage to produce food for them? (I look forward to that suggestion landing at Home Farm on Defra headed notepaper!)

Is that how Asda and Co-op started out?

OP you can't complain at people taking offence when you come across as so misinformed.

"I may have been hasty in lumping all farmers into one category" - yes indeed. That statement is a shabby attempt to downplay harmful ignorance you were willing to circulate on these boards. Don't write a goady thread spewing such basic misinformation and then be offended when posters rightly question it. Would you write such a goady generalist and misleading thread on nursing, teaching or SS?

Why do some people OP only take their news from one source? The Guardian has been known to be absolutely crap at reporting farming issues for a generation now. Considering their columnists won't dare be moved from their London offices to Manchester, you can get some indication as to their narrow views from that... they'd rather beg for funding online

And yes I do read the G for politics articles!

Hang on farmers, it is all going to be ticketyboo , it says in Country life , that post brexit , the same cash total in funds for farm support is promised until the end of the parliament ( which one ? ) with a new agri-environmental system to follow .

See Boris promised it would all be milk and honey and now it is written in CL , so absolutely no need to worry at all

Dear God. There's no point in arguing with stupid. YABU OP.