Shropshire MP's funding call for farmers
An MP says any cuts to funding for South Shropshire farmers would risk food security.
Stuart Anderson, MP for South Shropshire, was responding to reports by the Guardian that treasury officials may seek a £100m cut to the nature-friendly farming budget in England to help address a £22 billion shortfall in the public finances.
The Guardian report suggested cuts could come from underspend on the Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes, designed to help England’s farmers enhance their efficiency, productivity, and environmental sustainability.
Mr Anderson MP said: “Backing our farmers is a key part of my plan for South Shropshire.
"With farming and agriculture forming nearly 20 per cent of enterprises in Shropshire, I am proud of our farmers and producers, whose high-quality produce provides us with reliable and sustainable food supply.
"Thanks to their hard work and enormous sacrifices, we produce 65 per cent of our entire food supply needs. Food security is an essential part of national security. Heightened geopolitical risk has brought that into sharper focus."
He added: "The voices of our farmers is often lost in the national conversation, and their livelihoods are overlooked in pursuit of other interests. The government must support our farmers. Delivering fairer funding and better support for farmers in rural areas like Shropshire should be key priorities.”
