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Farmers' protest in London: demands for adequate income
Photo: Jordan Pettitt / dpa
Things are not easy for British farmers at the moment. Rules for climate and environmental protection are expensive, and there is a lack of workers who were much easier to find when we were part of the EU. In addition, the money that was intended to replace the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) after Brexit does not reach many farmers. Government forecasts and independent analyzes assume that the compensation payments for the strict nature conservation laws will not make up for the lack of EU subsidies for most farmers anyway.
Now, according to a report in The Guardian, at least 100 farmers have joined a new campaign called BI4Farmers to demand a universal basic income for all farmers in the UK. "British farmers are overworked and underpaid, but the Brexit process offers an ideal opportunity to change this," said Jo Poulton, the coordinator of BI4Farmers, to the Guardian.
Half of farmers see their existence in danger
So far, farmers have been able to keep their farms afloat largely because of EU subsidies. Now they were in danger of losing their farms. Half of respondents fear going out of business due to post-Brexit trade deals, uncertainty over farm payment systems and rising costs, according to a survey by organic farming group Riverford.
"A basic income for farmers would guarantee an adequate income, enable appropriate working hours and make starting a career in agriculture affordable for newcomers."
Demands for a basic income also come from organic farming. This would create the financial scope to experiment with nature-friendly farming methods without having to forego income.
Sustain's Sustainable Agriculture Campaign Coordinator Will White says: “A universal basic income could be an important safety net for farmworkers and new entrants to agriculture, providing them with financial security that allows them to switch to organic production without financial pressure. «
Ruth West, co-founder of the Oxford Real Farming Conference, added: “Concerned citizens, farmers in need, policymakers and everyone who cares about a fairer food system should join in and help take this practical, achievable plan to the next phase bring."
mike