Saturday, 30th May 2009
Scottish Farmers need change
I often wonder how I would be feeling if I was a Scottish farmer at the moment.
Between 70 and 80 percent of the legislation and framework conditions that are a significant part of everyday life of businesses, organisations and consumers everywhere in the EU begins in Brussels. These are severely crippling the farmers.
Recent decisions by the European Parliament and Commission on electronic ID for sheep and the attempt to ban 500 commonly-used agrochemicals in the recent Pesticides Directive debate, clearly illustrate the need for impact assessments on every proposed regulation that the Eurocrats dream up.
The attempt by the Socialists, Liberal-Democrats and their chums in the Greens to restrict farmers to a maximum of 4 hours sitting on a tractor seat daily, under the Vibrations Directive, exposed a disgraceful lack of understanding of the state of modern agriculture. How on earth could a working farmer cope with either the sowing of his crops in the Spring or the annual harvest, if he or she was restricted to 4 hours a day on their tractor?
As a Conservative MEP I would continue to fight against these sorts of lunacies from the European Commission. We are the only party who seem to be protecting our farmers against bankruptcy and it is only Conservative MEPs who defend Scotland’s farming and rural interests at a time of increasing concern about food security in Europe.
Future discussions of the CAP budget is another issue of concern for farmers. I would ensure Scotland’s less favoured areas were protected and would fight for farmers’ rights to counter the current trend of de-stalking Scotland’s hills and upland areas.
We’ve been repeatedly let down by Labour and ill-served by a succession of Gordon Brown’s ministers in Europe. Hilary Benn voted in favour of the introduction of electronic identification for sheep which could drive up to 30% of Scotland’s sheep off the hills and uplands. This is just another example of the lack of thought there is from the European Commission regarding Scottish farmers! This particular scheme would result in the UK relying on lamb and sheep meat imports from countries outside the EU who don't comply with any of the hygiene and welfare standards we apply to our own EU farmers.
Most importantly, if I was re-elected, I would make sure the farmers dictate how their agricultural businesses are run rather than pen-pushing bureaucrats who have little or no understanding of how this sort of business works.
At the end of the day it is so apparent that what Scottish farmers need is change. A change to get rid of all this nonsensical red tape; a change to avoid new hare-brained schemes that put Scottish farmers at a considerable financial risk; and a change to get rid of political parties that does not understand the every-day needs and concerns of farmers.
That’s why we need to vote for change in the European elections on 4th June. Conservative MEPs are pledged to work with the NFU to restore some common sense to EU policy-making.
