Party policies: Stuart Agnew, UKIP

Why should farmers vote for your party?
The ever increasing burden of EU regulation raises farming costs every year. None of the Lib/Lab/Con parties can alter any of it.
UKIP can change the criteria on NVZs, restore livestock burial on farms, scrap sheep EID, take IPPC right out of agriculture, forget carbon dioxide and methane emission recording and much else besides.

Where would you make spending savings and improve efficiency in Defra and its agencies?
We would reduce the army of inspectors and other costs associated with implementing EU legislation.

How would you ensure the UK’s voice was heard in Europe in negotiations over farming regulation?
We would not need to because we would create our own regulations.

How would you tackle bovine TB?
By accepting the advice of qualified scientists and not being intimidated by pressure groups.

Would you introduce an independent body to take over animal health policy, alongside a levy on livestock producers?
We would run our own animal health strategy and feel it is quite unreasonable to ask farmers to bear a large cost of eradicating disease that arrives here due to our commitments to the WTO.

Would you negotiate to retain Single Payments (or a version of) in the next version of the Common Agricultural Policy? Or should funds be shifted to Pillar Two?
UKIP will retain a Single Farm Payment. Its value will reduce slowly over time. The rural development element of Pillar Two will be discontinued.

How would you encourage new entrants into farming?
We have no specific scheme as the amount of capital required just to get access to land, let alone infrastructure, is just too expensive to be carried by taxpayers.
We see routes into the industry by younger entrants taking responsible jobs within farming companies and contractors. The present skills shortage in agriculture will create its own
opportunities.

How would you help farmers adopt measures that tackle climate change?
We disagree with the ‘science’ behind the philosophy of man-made global warming and will not waste time and money chasing a non-existent problem.

Would you encourage, domestically and at EU level, the growth of GM crops?
We are committed to research into GM crops but the present ban on commercial growing will continue until consumers (not farmers) demand a change.

What would you do to encourage agricultural Research and Development (R&D) in the UK?
Scrap the EU rules on the registration of pesticides and replace with a risk-based system.

What is the single most important issue facing farmers?
Bovine TB must get the prize at the present time. Price volatility and the regulatory burden are also on the minds of all farmers.

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