Farming Increased Costs 2023-01-12
2023-01-12
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Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
Farmers are experiencing significant cost increases in fertiliser, feed, fuel, and energy. The question addresses the Department's response to these challenges.
What recent steps her Department has taken to help support farmers with increases in the cost of (a) fertiliser, (b) feed and (c) energy?
We have taken a number of steps to help mitigate global factors that are increasing farming import costs, in fertiliser, feed, fuel and energy in particular. Those include working with industry and looking to ease restrictions on feed imports, and providing regulatory flexibility where possible. We have increased payment rates on our environmental land management schemes, supporting farmers to lower their import costs.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Farmers face opaque fertiliser markets that hinder their ability to plan and invest. The question addresses the need for a trusted gas fertiliser index to improve transparency.
Opaque fertiliser markets are damaging farmers' confidence and their ability to plan and invest. To put forward a meaningful solution, what steps are the Government taking to establish a trusted gas fertiliser index, as exists with grain and other industries, to improve transparency in fertiliser, including new sources of fertiliser such as that provided by our friends in Jordan?
I thank my hon. Friend for her question and pay tribute to her work in this area. DEFRA established the ministerially chaired fertiliser taskforce with key stakeholders, in response to global fertiliser supply pressures. The taskforce identified improving market transparency as an important action to increase farmer confidence. Industry members are currently leading that work, with DEFRA playing a convening role.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific request for a trusted gas fertiliser index was not directly addressed; the answer described ongoing efforts rather than committing to establishing such an index.
Response accuracy