Kent County Council leader Paul Carter has launched a campaign to get Kent farmers a fairer deal.
Farming is one of the biggest industries in the county, employing more than 15,000 people a year with a direct contribution to Kent’s economy of £600 million, and it is essential in supporting the county’s £1.8 billion tourism sector.
But it is being hit by a raft of European legislation and rising costs, and restrictions on the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) have hit Kent’s soft-fruit farmers particularly hard, with farmers struggling to get enough workers to pick seasonal crops. In 2010, SAWS will be scrapped completely.
Carter said: “Kent’s farming industry is vitally important to the future success of the county. We must not let unnecessary red tape and bureaucracy continue to put our farmers out of business.
“If we want Kent’s residents to buy local food, in season, we need Kent farmers to be able to employ workers to pick the crops and compete in a competitive global marketplace.
“But it is not just about what we put on our plates. There are many important related industries such as leisure, tourism, filming and the whole of the creative industry that rely on the farming industry. Farming is an important part of life in Kent and we must do everything we can to preserve it.”
Farming covers two-thirds of the land area of Kent and many of the iconic landscapes and habitats are a result of farming practices.
The campaign is backed by the Kent Branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and local produce initiative Produced in Kent.
NFU Kent chairman, Kevin Attwood said: “Top and soft fruit are keys parts of farming in the Garden of England. For our own Home Office to undermine this with unnecessary regulations is unacceptable. We rely on seasonal workers to help us bring in the crop year in, year out.”
Produced in Kent Chairman Richard Long added: “Produced in Kent fully supports the views of Paul Carter and the NFU in respect of this critical issue for Kent's farmers.
“This campaign will give much-needed support to Kent’s farmers in what is already a difficult economic climate.”
Kent County Council will be raising these issues on a number of platforms, including through its position on the National Migration Group, which advises the government, and with Kent MPs and MEPs and on the stage at the Local Government Association Rural Conference on September 10.
No comments yet