Agriculture deemed an important industry again by world demand

RISING world demand, climate change and energy security have combined to make agriculture a strategically important industry once again.

That’s what Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers Union (NFU), representing farmers and growers in England and Wales, told the Oxford Farming Conference, which opened yesterday.

He said agriculture offers society solutions, not problems, and to hear politicians acknowledge that would be a great start to the NFU’s centenary year.

Mr Kendall said not everyone appeared to have understood the nature or importance of the dramatic change in which farmers and growers are operating.

He said it is time the livestock chain recognised the fragility of local supply and started entering into long term contracts and started paying remunerative prices.

“Let 2008 be the year that the economic upturn now enjoyed by some spreads to all,” he said.

“This is emphatically not a plea for Government assistance or subsidy; just a Government statement that farming matters — to coin a phrase — would be a good start.

“Beyond that, we need to see some understanding that if we are going to be expected to produce more and improve our environmental performance at the same time (and we should be expected to do that) it will require technology and investment, and a more coherent Government policy.”