MP challenges Net Zero Minister on Government plans for Cumbrian farmers to produce less food

On the floor of the House of Commons this week, local MP Tim Farron challenged the Government on the effect of their new agricultural policies on carbon emissions.  

Under the Government’s new funding schemes, farmers are encouraged to produce less food, resulting in more food needing to be imported from abroad.

Food production has also been threatened by the Government’s botched transition from the old scheme to the new scheme, resulting in more farmers being forced to leave the industry due to losing significant parts of their income.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday. Tim said: “On land use for food production and achieving net zero, has the Minister done an impact assessment of the rising carbon emissions from the UK Government carrying on with their agricultural policy, which is reducing incentives for farmers to produce food?

“As a consequence, we will import more food. As things stand, we produce only 60% of the food we eat; importing more and more food will surely increase carbon emissions.

“Has the Minister looked into that, and done an impact assessment of it?”

Responding, the Minister for Nuclear and Renewables, Andrew Bowie said: “At the National Farmers Union conference just last week, the Prime Minister reiterated this Government’s commitment to supporting British farmers in their primary role of delivering food for the nation.

“It would be good to see the Liberal Democrats give their support to British farmers in so forceful a manner.

“We are absolutely determined to do what we can to support British farmers in continuing to deliver that food - and, indeed, to support the technologies that we need to reach our net zero commitments, which I am led to believe the Liberal Democrats still support.”