APPENDIX 3
Memorandum submitted by the National Farmers'
Union, Braintree, Great Yeldham and Halstead Branch (E3)
Members of the Braintree, Great Yeldham and
Halstead Branch of the National Farmers Union wish to record their
dismay and concern at the proposed changes to the MAFF regional
Service Centres following the report produced by Price Waterhouse
Cooper.
We believe that the Agriculture Committee is
to look into the performance of these Centres, and the Branch
would like to express its pleasure that they are doing so while
establishing with the Committee the greatreliance we place on
them, and record how much we appreciate the efficient way in which
they handle our interests.
We are obviously in North Essex and are particularly
concerned with the Centre in Brooklands Avenue, Cambridge . .
. but our concerns would be felt by any farmer wherever they were
in Britain, and with whichever Centre they dealt with. We of course
believe Cambridge is dealing with the most productive and efficient
agricultural area . . . namely East Anglia . . . in a most acceptable
way.
The Branch is concerned that members reliance
on the Centre should be respected and appreciated in these difficult
times within their industry . . . while at present maximum contact
is available with MAFF through Cambridge and they receive a service
which delivers all that they could require or expect . . . they
are of course concerned that this would not be the case if the
proposed plans are carried, not only perhaps closing their particular
office, but also the pressure of work within any remaining Centres,
due to the closure of others.
We believe that something like 9,000 applications
for the Arable Area Payments Scheme are processed each year through
Cambridge . . . supporting the Granary of England . . . handling
them efficiently and professionally in a way much respected by
the farmers and building up an excellent relationship between
them.
At a time when the industry is greatly depressed
and indeed the members themselves are in varying stages of depression
and hardship we feel it is completely irresponsible to make changes
to well established, respected and appreciated systems, and such
changes are likely to be counter productive. Indeed it may be
that some of the changes which are forced upon the actual farmers
own systems of management may be financially unacceptable or indeed
physically impossible to introduce to some businesses . . . having
yet further dramatic effect on an already crippled industry and
rural environment.
We trust therefore that the Agriculture Committee
will think long and hard on this matter and bring pressure to
bear on the Minister of Agriculture to maintain the "status
quo" and allow the existing Regional Service Centres to continue
with their excellent work and service to the farming industry.
20 April 2000
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