Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Agriculture in Sussex

25 October 2022 · 3 other contributors · 8,184 words

Opened by Caroline Ansell Con Eastbourne

Responding minister: Mark Spencer

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Caroline Ansell raised concerns about agriculture in sussex in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Ms Ansell highlighted the significant agricultural sector in East Sussex despite it representing only 2% of England's farmed area.
  • Ms Ansell and Maria Caulfield both raised concerns about the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) and its unclear standards and guidance.
  • Caulfield discussed the cost of food production, particularly the 152% increase in fertiliser costs since May 2021, and the difficulty in accessing fertiliser due to international export restrictions.

Key requests to Government

Ms Ansell asked the Government to assess whether farmers managing permanent pasture or land with SHINE features can access SFI payments effectively. She also requested information on further steps being taken to address the decline of small abattoirs in Sussex and a review of payment rates under SFI considering inflation. Caulfield asked for discussions between Ministers in other Departments to support the fertiliser sector and increase domestic production. She also requested improvements to rules and regulations around slurry storage and support for agricultural workers on visa matters. Additionally, she called for a review of the avian flu compensation scheme to provide quicker assessments and financial assistance that covers all birds lost due to infection.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Caroline Ansell Con Eastbourne

Ms Ansell highlighted the significant agricultural sector in East Sussex despite it representing only 2% of England's farmed area. She mentioned that tenanted land makes up 48% of all farmed land, and raised concerns about the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) and its unclear standards and guidance which are necessary for farmers to transition from the Basic Payment Scheme. She also discussed the vulnerability of local abattoirs and their impact on direct marketing initiatives by farmers. Additionally, she addressed issues related to rural crime involving dog attacks on livestock, noting significant financial costs and distress. Maria Caulfield raised four key areas of concern for farmers. The first is the cost of food production, particularly fertiliser costs which have increased by 152% since May 2021. She highlighted that only 40% of fertiliser is produced domestically and access to it has become more difficult due to international export restrictions. Additionally, there are concerns about the lack of domestic fertiliser production and the impracticality of current regulations on slurry storage. The second area is the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS), where only two parts of the scheme are open despite 84% of farmers wanting to participate. Caulfield also discussed labour shortages in farming, suggesting that expanding the temporary worker visa to two years and listing agricultural workers as a shortage occupation would help. Lastly, she addressed the issue of avian flu, noting its unprecedented scale and impact on poultry farmers, with compensation delays exacerbating financial losses.

Other contributors (3)
  • Daniel Zeichner Lab Cambridge

    The MP highlighted the cost pressures food producers in Sussex face due to fuel, labour and input costs. He raised concerns about the pig and poultry sectors under severe pressure, urging the Minister to clarify which Conservative party policies will prevail. The MP also questioned the efficacy of environmental land management schemes and their impact on farm incomes, calling for a Government response detailing how the rural economy has been affected.

  • Maria Caulfield

    The MP intervened regarding local farmers' export ambitions to Singapore, asking if there are any government schemes supporting abattoirs to meet international standards and facilitate beef exports.

  • Tim Loughton Con East Worthing and Shoreham

    As a long-standing member of the Sussex Archaeological Society who has dug on farmsteads on Beachy Head, I can tell her that it is likely that farming went on before 4000 BC in and around Eastbourne. Emphasised the importance of agriculture in Sussex, including food security, energy production, heritage preservation, and tourism. Discussed the challenges faced by farmers such as high costs of fertiliser, fly-tipping, dog attacks, and labour shortages. Highlighted the potential of projects like the Sussex Kelp Restoration Project for sustainable farming and carbon reduction. The MP emphasised the importance of agricultural colleges like Plumpton College in promoting higher-skilled careers in agriculture and suggested DEFRA should collaborate with the Department for Education to promote such institutions more effectively.

Government Response

Mark Spencer

Addressed concerns about food security, environmental benefits, simplifying schemes like ELM to encourage farmer participation, engaging with abattoirs while maintaining meat safety standards, addressing rural crime including dog attacks on livestock, supporting fertiliser production through BEIS engagement, and avian flu management. Emphasised biosecurity measures and the role of vaccination in poultry sectors. Highlighted opportunities for agritech innovation and education initiatives to diversify into sectors like vineyards in Sussex.

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