There is rightly a battle waging over the future of the beef sector, as finishers suffer a torrid time. However, poorer prices are not exclusive to cattle, as arable farmers also look to be paid considerably less than a year ago.
Although we must remember that this is a 12-month tumble from some of the highest prices on record.
There have already been mutterings from cereal farmers that too much is being made of the beef job and not enough focus on their own plight. Their challenge needs to be acknowledged and the stop-start harvest is not making things any easier.
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But pitting one sector against another is not going to benefit farming and it’ll make it too easy for Government and retailers to divide and conquer.
We need swift action as public sympathy will wane if this trundles on too long and farmers are painted as simply price-moaning producers.
This means we need to be ruthless in future Government support schemes, to ensure every penny is utilised by productive farmers.
The future is going to be in closer alignment with global markets, so we need to drive our cost of production down to be able to survive.
It is foolish to pin our hopes on the public deciding to all head to M&S and Waitrose for their messages.
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There is rightly a battle waging over the future of the beef sector, as finishers suffer a torrid time. However, poorer prices are not exclusive to cattle, as arable farmers also look to be paid considerably less than a year ago.
Although we must remember that this is a 12-month tumble from some of the highest prices on record.
There have already been mutterings from cereal farmers that too much is being made of the beef job and not enough focus on their own plight. Their challenge needs to be acknowledged and the stop-start harvest is not making things any easier.
But pitting one sector against another is not going to benefit farming and it’ll make it too easy for Government and retailers to divide and conquer.
We need swift action as public sympathy will wane if this trundles on too long and farmers are painted as simply price-moaning producers.
This means we need to be ruthless in future Government support schemes, to ensure every penny is utilised by productive farmers.
The future is going to be in closer alignment with global markets, so we need to drive our cost of production down to be able to survive.
It is foolish to pin our hopes on the public deciding to all head to M&S and Waitrose for their messages.
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