Supplementary memorandum submitted by
Hugo Marfleet (RAS 22a)
ROYAL SHOW, STONELEIGH—4 JULY 2006
Thank you for inviting me to CAPVISION and giving
me the opportunity to speak. Having been a "witness",
and heard the other witnesses speak and the questions that the
panel asked, I feel I would like to put the following three points
forward as a reform response. Please may these be put on record
and acknowledge that this procedure is satisfactory.
1. RURAL DEVELOPMENT
I feel the way Defra is taking agriculture forward
is a good, positive approach. The Rural Development Programme
is good, but needs to be expanded and improved so that the grants
are easy to obtain and of an amount that will have an impact.
Farmers need to amalgamate, by way of co-operatives, (three farmers
minimum), and also need to be able to reshape their businesses.
I also feel that the diversification grant schemes are a must
to help with employment, the rural economy and benefiting/progression
of small rural businesses. The environmental grants are a good
thing for those in the designated areas and for those that want
to do more for the environment on a individual level.
2. PROMOTION
OF UK PRODUCE
I feel overall that UK agriculture is lacking
a serious attitude towards the promotion of our produce/food.
We should promote our food to the general public with an image
of enjoyment, sexy and healthy rather than welfare issues. The
way to do this would be for every farmer to be deducted a small
percentage from their single farm payments to go into a specific
fund to go towards marketing our produce. We also want to promote
regional foods and form co-operatives with unique brandings. Being
part of the EU promotional marketing of UK products can be achieved
in an appropriate way. After all if the housewife goes into a
supermarket to buy British food then the supermarkets will stock
more British food. However, ask yourselves when you open your
fridge door how much produce in your fridge is British.
3. ADMINISTRATION
To allow farmers to change or develop their
business, to look at diversification, to look at amalgamating,
to reform, they need a big reduction in the volume of paperwork
which could be, in itself, simplified and streamlined, rather
than this mass of complicated systems that we have created. Reduce
the amount of gold plating the UK does with reference to EU directives.
I put forward to you these three points which
I feel would help UK agriculture.
July 2006
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