Farmers face more red tape
A Shropshire farm business expert has warned that the bureaucratic burden on farm businesses is being squeezed to an often intolerable extent.Rob McCabe, farm business consultant with Nock Deighton Agricultural LLP, said that farmers and the environment faced changing times.
One of the problems facing farmers was that major business decisions were imposed on them by high pressure produce buyers or by bureaucratic pressure.
This was balanced against greater freedom for production choice with the introduction of the single payment scheme and the shift towards environmental stewardship and sustainability.
"But with an additional seven Statutory Management Requirements imposed on farms claiming Single Payment in 2006 and the additional requirement to complete a Soil Protection Review by September 1 as part of GAEC 1, the bureaucratic burden on farm businesses continues its squeeze on the time available to an often intolerable extent," he said.
He added that he believed the closure of the Allscott sugar beet factory would lead to a further major change in both the crops grown and the appearance of the countryside.
Pictured: Rob McCabe of Nock Deighton Agricultural LLP
Popular stories:
Powys police to get weapon scanners
First game for Steve Brown
September 11th tribute
Dining Out archive
Daily news blog
