News & Business
Michael Gove in pledge to cut red tape A
comprehensive review of farm inspections aims to reduce the amount of red tape faced by growers and live- stock producers.
Speaking at last month’s NFU
annual conference, Defra secre- tary Michael Gove said he want- ed to look at opportunities for improving farm regulation and enforcement – both before and af- ter the UK left the European Un- ion in March 2019.
The review would seek ways to reduce duplication and allow farmers to concentrate on uphold- ing key environmental and an- imal welfare standards as they produced British food, he told NFU delegates at the Birming- ham ICC.
All too often, the current in- spection regime resulted in farm- ers being visited by as many as fi ve different bodies, said Mr Gove. He added: “The rules asso- ciated with current subsidy pay- ments are unwieldy and, very of- ten, counter-productive. “They require farmers to spend long days ensuring con- formity with bureaucratic pro- cesses which secure scarcely any environmental benefi ts and which, in turn, require a vast and infl exible bureaucracy to police.
“As does the current farming inspection regime, which, despite several recent attempts at sim- plifi cation, remains as unwieldy as ever. Every year, farmers are confronted by a barrage of inspec- tions from different agencies, of- ten duplicating costs in both time and money.” Farmers frequently face re- peated inspection visits. Similar information is often requested by inspectors from the Rural Pay-
ments Agency, Natural England, the Animal Plant and Health Agency, the Environment Agen- cy and local authorities.
Haphazard Mr Gove said each visit added to the burden on farmers. EU sub- sidy rules required inspections of fi eld margin dimensions – and the specifi c placement of trees in fi elds, he said. At the same time, inspections for slurry manage-
Farmers are confronted by a barrage of inspections, says Michael Gove
ment and welfare standards were often haphazard.
The review will be led by Dame Glenys Stacey. A former chief ex- ecutive of Animal Health, a pre- cursor to the current Animal and Plant Health Agency, she is said to be well-versed in the amount of red tape facing farmers.
Win tickets to the East Anglian Game & Country Fair
Readers have a special opportunity to win tickets to the East Anglian Game & Country Fair, which takes place on the weekend of 28-29 April, at the Euston Estate, Thetford. Activities include fl y fi shing with the Norfolk & Suffolk Fly Fishers, ferret rac- ing and archery to paintballing and cross- bows. Visitors can try the the air rifl e range, hold a bird of prey, enter a dog into the pet dog show or take a ride in a Land Rover on the off road 4x4 course.
Headlining the main arena this year are the world-famous JCB Dancing Diggers. De- scribed as a down to earth version of the Red Arrows, the diggers limit their appearanc- es to three to four shows per year and have appeared on TV all over the world. As well as countryside activities, there are over 350 shopping stands with a varie- ty of products from fashion and footwear to gun makers, fi shing products and home im- provements. There are also children’s activ- ities, a cookery theatre, food hall, craft and gift marquees.
6 ANGLIA FARMER • MARCH 2018
Advance discounted e-tickets are avail- able at
www.ukgamefair.co.uk or by calling the ticket hotline on 01263 735 828 (booking fee applies). Tickets cost £15 (adult), £6 (5- 16 yrs) or £40 for a family of two adults and three children. This offer closes at midday on 23 April. Car parking is free. For your chance to win tickets to the fair,
simply watch the special Game & Country Fair video at
www.ukgamefair.co.uk and an- swer the following question correctly: In the ‘have a go’ at archery scene – what colour target does the girl hit with her arrow? a) Black; b) Red; c) Yellow.
Email your answer to info@ukgamefair.
co.uk. Include the magazine name Anglia Farmer alongside your answer. The competi- tion closing date is 31 March 2018. The win- ners will be picked at random and contact- ed directly by Grand Promotion Events Ltd. All e-tickets will be sent via email and can be printed off or kept handy on the Eventbrite App ready for scanning at the show entrance gates. Good Luck!
The fair plays host to a range of countryside activities
Photo credit: NFU
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