United Kingdom: British farmers rage against variable geometry standards
Anger is brewing among British farmers as the Conservative government moves further and further away from old European regulations on environmental protection and public health.
Result: varying standards, and angry farmers.
Field work at Matfield (Kent), south-east UK.
AFP - BEN STANSALL
By: RFI Follow
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With our correspondent in London,
Sidonie Gaucher
British farmers have no shortage of reasons to be angry.
Yesterday, Monday January 22 in the morning, fruit and vegetable producers demonstrated in front of Parliament, to protest against the “ unfair
” purchasing contracts
that bind them to major retail brands.
According to them, the price is not fair and almost half of them will have to cease their activity in the next twelve months.
Overpriced organic
In addition, since Brexit, the United Kingdom has turned its back on European regulations, allowing the importation of foodstuffs with low standards, coming from Mexico, Australia or Canada.
But on the other hand, the rules for British farmers have tightened, making organic products unaffordable, while the Minister of Health encourages farmers to continue producing organic products.
Brain teaser
A real headache and support from the government is weak.
For the founder of Riverford Organic, a distributor of organic vegetables, “
British agriculture is on its knees, as are its landscapes, its wildlife and its rural community
.
»
Read also Farmers' discontent spreads in Europe
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