Lib Dems promise farm industry shake-up

The Lib Dem election manifesto, launched today (Wednesday, April 14) includes plans to cap subsidies to big landowners and stop subsidies to hobby farmers.

The money saved will be invested in extra support for hill farmers, cheap loans to help farmers invest in environmentally friendly biogas digesters and a new Farming Apprenticeship scheme.

Under the banner ‘Fair Trade for British Farmers’ the Lib Dems also pledge to introduce ‘a legal Supermarket Code’ and ‘a powerful independent regulator of Britain’s food market’.

“It is important to Britain’s future security that the country has a sustainable farming industry.

“We will build on that strength and ensure that farmers get the fair deal they deserve, are able to earn a living wage and also help to protect our natural environment and heritage,” reads the manifesto.

Mr Clegg placed great emphasis on the environment and pledged to move more CAP money from direct payments to environmental measures.

“We believe that a greater proportion of that (CAP) support should be targeted at conservation, the environment and tackling climate change, as well as at providing food security for a rapidly growing world population,” reads the manifesto.

The manifesto also pledges to introduce clearer labelling ‘to help consumers to choose foods with the least environmental impact’ and ‘to work with the EU to make sure country-of-origin labels identify the source of the products, not where they are packaged’.

In an attempt to protect rural communities the Lib Dems have pledged to end the post office closure programme and tackle rural housing issues.

The Party will give local authorities the power to set higher Council Tax rates for second home owners and ‘the option to require specific planning permission for new second homes, in areas where the number of such homes is threatening the viability of a community’.

They will also promote schemes for affordable homes including a ‘Home on the Farm’ initiative which encourage farmers to convert existing buildings into affordable housing.

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