Another BBC article Biased against farming.

[Longlowdog]

Surely the whole concept of modern payments is to permit the base price of foods to remain low before countless middlemen put their margin on it? Quite simply how much would the price of food at farm gate have to rise in order to offset the contribution made by payments?

Why do farmers get paid by taxpayers?

UK farmers are complaining of a lack of clarity over how they will be rewarded for tending the land.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[deleted user 837354]

Surely the whole concept of modern payments is to permit the base price of foods to remain low before countless middlemen put their margin on it? Quite simply how much would the price of food at farm gate have to rise in order to offset the contribution made by payments?

Why do farmers get paid by taxpayers?

UK farmers are complaining of a lack of clarity over how they will be rewarded for tending the land.

www.bbc.co.uk

Subsidies are no longer linked to production. Haven't been for years.

They are paid to landowners to make them feel better. Simple as that. Price of food is immaterial and may as well be linked to the phases of the moon.

Subsidies need to end, and quickly, too so that this 'pretend' farming stops.

 

[Longlowdog]

I don't claim them. Can't stand the boo-rocrasy and meddling. But I feel if the BBC is going to say something it should be fair, balanced and not appear to be written by a vegan cockwomble with an attitude problem.
Not paid for production is not the same as paid to keep the base price of commodities low before middle men.

 

[delilah]

Surely the whole concept of modern payments is to permit the base price of foods to remain low before countless middlemen put their margin on it? Quite simply how much would the price of food at farm gate have to rise in order to offset the contribution made by payments?

10 pence a chicken.

 

[ajd132]

Subsidies have absolutely nothing to do with production or the price of food. They are a land owning subsidy, and need to go as soon as possible.

 

[milkloss]

It’s probably very difficult for an outsider to understand. Some farmers use the sub to buy flash cars, helicopters, holidays etc whilst the others are actually using it to produce food.

 

[livestock 1]

Subsidies have absolutely nothing to do with production or the price of food. They are a land owning subsidy, and need to go as soon as possible.

Rubbish

 

[7610 super q]

Too late for needing to go now. Should have not come in the first place. Surely there had to be a better method of keeping farmers on the land ? If they go now it will be a diversification bloodbath.

 

[Castle Farm]

Why do the unemployable get paid by taxpayers ?

 

[livestock 1]

Why do the unemployable get paid by taxpayers ?

80% of all tax

 

[Jackov Altraids]

I was feeling rather indignant on first reading it but can't see too much wrong with it having read it again more slowly.
It is a pretty good appraisee of where we are and how we got here it is just the insinuation towards the end that money should be steered away from evil farmers towards altruistic environmentalists, that is flawed.
If anything, it shows how good farmers have always been at following the policies that have been put in place. It is not our fault if that have been wrong.
The policy required now is one that combines production with environmental benefit.
Premium's for grain grown in fields with fallow margins and for meat from farms with low density stocking etc.

 

[Muddyroads]

They are paid to landowners to make them feel better. Simple as that. Price of food is immaterial and may as well be linked to the phases of the moon.

This isn’t strictly true, is it. Where do tenant farmers fit into your comment?

 

[Tim W]

Subsidies have absolutely nothing to do with production or the price of food. They are a land owning subsidy, and need to go as soon as possible.

Correct---price of lamb/beef/grain is set by supply/demand on an international market
Land based payments are immoral and have no place in UK , they simply reward people for owning land

The land owners know this and find it difficult to defend criticism
Farmers who own their land are confused about this as they always thought they were being paid to ''maintain low food prices'' but at the moment with a world market to rely on the UK can go elsewhere for cheap food

I think that in the future the landowning dole will still be paid but at a lesser rate and with slightly better returns for taxpayers

 

[Tim W]

This isn’t strictly true, is it. Where do tenant farmers fit into your comment?

Tennant farmers are largely agents for the land owner collecting and passing on land payments?

 

[Farmer Fin]

Let’s face it’s a way of pumping lots of money into the economy. The majority of people who claim it will spend it rather than hoarding it.

 

[snarling bee]

Subsidies have absolutely nothing to do with production or the price of food. They are a land owning subsidy, and need to go as soon as possible.

You won't have to wait long!!

 

[ajd132]

Correct---price of lamb/beef/grain is set by supply/demand on an international market
Land based payments are immoral and have no place in UK , they simply reward people for owning land

The land owners know this and find it difficult to defend criticism
Farmers who own their land are confused about this as they always thought they were being paid to ''maintain low food prices'' but at the moment with a world market to rely on the UK can go elsewhere for cheap food

I think that in the future the landowning dole will still be paid but at a lesser rate and with slightly better returns for taxpayers

Land owning farmers think they are being paid for some kind of noble deed, I fact it just keeps loads of useless businesses afloat and some kids in private school. I rent a lot of land and the money goes straight back to the land owner in the rent.

 

[ajd132]

You won't have to wait long!!

I reckon they will be gone quicker than we first thought now the economy is crippled

 

[Tim W]

I get sick of the whinging by the farming industry about the ''lack of support''
Farming needs to grow up and separate itself mentally from landowning

 

[ajd132]

Rubbish

They are de-linked from production. I maintain they have absolutely nothing to do with ‘keeping food prices down’. For many it is essentially being on the dole but working ridiculously hard for it rather than sitting at home drinking carling.