The New Agricultural Bill has been published and will effect us all.

[PeterNatt]

The British Horse Society has put a lot of effort and input in to the new Agriculture bill which has just been published.
You will be interested to see that the powers to pay for public access are as follows:
"supporting public access to and enjoyment of the countryside, farmland or woodland and better understanding of the environment";

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-01/0007/20007.pdf

 

[Parrotperson]

which exact section is this in Peter?

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

94 pages there, have you got a synopsis for those who haven't time yet to go through it?

 

[canteron]

94 pages there, have you got a synopsis for those who haven't time yet to go through it?

Oh yes please - if there is anyone good at government papers, I miss the important bits in my confusion/boredom!!

 

[ycbm]

https://www.nfuonline.com/news/latest-news/expert-insight-the-agriculture-bill-2020/

 

[Pearlsasinger]

"The most significant deficiency with the Bill is the absence of any commitment or means of upholding British farming production standards in the context of international trade negotiations "


Which leaves the way open for chlorinated chicken and goodness knows what else!

 

[3OldPonies]

Oh heck, I'm confused, what does supporting public access and chlorinated chicken have to do with horses?

Sorry, couldn't be bothered to wait for the whole 90+ pages to download, let alone read them!!!!!

 

[Firefly9410]

Does this mean that I can ride in the park but somebody is going to genetically modify my cornflakes? If chlorine is in water and chickens drink water are they not already chlorinated and so are all the humans?

 

[Nasicus]

Aye, I want to know how this effects me as a horse owner.

 

[catkin]

Aye, I want to know how this effects me as a horse owner.

It will affect you as a horse owner insomuch that any changes in land management have the potential to change the ways in which we keep horses in this country - everything from availability of forage, veterinary services, land-y stuff like fencing, manure disposal, RoW etc etc. If farming changes it will knock-on to every facet of horse keeping.

 

[Esmae]

I can't be bothered to read 90 odd pages. I haven't got that long to live. Think I won't worry until something comes up that I have to deal with.

 

[The-Bookworm]

Any change has a domino effect.
I am with the above poster, live in the moment and deal with what's in front of me today.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I can't be bothered to read 90 odd pages. I haven't got that long to live. Think I won't worry until something comes up that I have to deal with.

That's fine if you keep your horse on a livery yard, the YO will deal with any changes but those of us who keep horses at home may have problems - we don't know what they will be yet, though.

 

[catkin]

That's fine if you keep your horse on a livery yard, the YO will deal with any changes but those of us who keep horses at home may have problems - we don't know what they will be yet, though.

This - which is why we need to keep an eye on any developments - either way - so we are prepared.

A simple example: we live in a livestock farming area, there are agri merchants locally open 7 days a week - if I get a leccy fence failure then it can be replaced within a few hours as there is usually plenty for sale nearby. if that changes and the stuff is no longer as easy to get then I will need to have a stash already at home so will need to find storage room plus the cash to buy up front.

 

[DabDab]

which exact section is this in Peter?

Part 1, page 2 of the bill. Though it's just a list of themes that the government may provide financial assistance for, so I'm not quite sure why the OP pointed to this part in particular...?

 

[Chianti]

Does this mean that I can ride in the park but somebody is going to genetically modify my cornflakes? If chlorine is in water and chickens drink water are they not already chlorinated and so are all the humans?

USA animal rearing practises are so poor that the animals end up in a pretty poor state. Once the chickens are killed they're washed in chlorine to kill off the bacteria. Beef cattle can be injected with growth hormones. Crops can be grown from genetically modified seed. None of this is allowed uner EU regs.

 

[Esmae]

That's fine if you keep your horse on a livery yard, the YO will deal with any changes but those of us who keep horses at home may have problems - we don't know what they will be yet, though.

I keep mine at home fwiw. I've lived long enough to realise that there is no point in worrying about stuff until it happens. I'll deal with it then.

 

[ycbm]

.

I keep mine at home fwiw. I've lived long enough to realise that there is no point in worrying about stuff until it happens. I'll deal with it then.

I can't imagine worrying about whether I'm going to be able to buy electric fence materials.

[in the US] crops can be grown from genetically modified seed. This is [not] allowed uner EU regs.

Yes it is, though many countries have individual bans, several grow GM crops with Spain topping the list by a big margin.

.

 

[Nasicus]

It will affect you as a horse owner insomuch that any changes in land management have the potential to change the ways in which we keep horses in this country - everything from availability of forage, veterinary services, land-y stuff like fencing, manure disposal, RoW etc etc. If farming changes it will knock-on to every facet of horse keeping.

Yes, but do we have any specifics yet, or is it just speculation at this point?

 

[catkin]

Yes, but do we have any specifics yet, or is it just speculation at this point?

No specifics as yet - but many people like to plan ahead so an idea of general direction of travel is helpful. This is not just pertinent for equestrian businesses but for many private owners too because horses are often an important ingredient in a whole family's life choices.
So many elements of agriculture affect horse-ownership so changes in that sector will mean that nearly every horseperson is likely to have to deal with multiple changes, some big, some small, who knows.
By keeping an eye on what is happening horse-owners can look to best position themselves to deal with whatever comes about.

 

[chocolategirl]

USA animal rearing practises are so poor that the animals end up in a pretty poor state. Once the chickens are killed they're washed in chlorine to kill off the bacteria. Beef cattle can be injected with growth hormones. Crops can be grown from genetically modified seed. None of this is allowed uner EU regs.

Yeah cause our standards are so much better aren’t they?‍?‍
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...hern-ireland-meat-animal-rights-a9289376.html

 

[Micky]

Yes our standards are so much better..hence red tractor suspending the farm, which may have been high standards before this incident..pigs are renowned for eating each other if hungry and a unfortunate poorly pig is nearby..but our standards of rearing cows sheep etc really so much higher than a hell of. a lot of other countries...

 

[chocolategirl]

Yes our standards are so much better..hence red tractor suspending the farm, which may have been high standards before this incident..pigs are renowned for eating each other if hungry and a unfortunate poorly pig is nearby..but our standards of rearing cows sheep etc really so much higher than a hell of. a lot of other countries...

That’s because the standards is many other countries are just even worse! Doesn’t mean ours are good, it just means they’re not as bad?‍ I’ve seen the state of battery hens when they are rehomed, our chickens are routinely fed antibiotics? and how long did the horse meat scandal go on undetected? Yeah, our standards are so much higher ?

 

[ChiffChaff]

That’s because the standards is many other countries are just even worse! Doesn’t mean ours are good, it just means they’re not as bad?‍ I’ve seen the state of battery hens when they are rehomed, our chickens are routinely fed antibiotics? and how long did the horse meat scandal go on undetected? Yeah, our standards are so much higher ?

I mean...If other countries are ‘so much worse’ then our standards are still ‘so much higher’ ?.

Doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement, or that people don’t slip through the net, but they really are much better than the US.

 

[chocolategirl]

I mean...If other countries are ‘so much worse’ then our standards are still ‘so much higher’ ?.

Doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement, or that people don’t slip through the net, but they really are much better than the US.

Don’t have any experience of American food standards tbh, I gather you do? The point I was trying, and clearly failing to make, is that I don’t think we’re in a position to criticise other countries food standards, when our own aren’t exactly perfect ?‍

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Don’t have any experience of American food standards tbh, I gather you do? The point I was trying, and clearly failing to make, is that I don’t think we’re in a position to criticise other countries food standards, when our own aren’t exactly perfect ?‍

But USA standards are much worse than ours and some of us would rather that our regulations are not relaxed so that American food, especially meat, can be imported, as apart from ethical considerations, that could easily put many of our farmers out of business.

 

[ChiffChaff]

Don’t have any experience of American food standards tbh, I gather you do? The point I was trying, and clearly failing to make, is that I don’t think we’re in a position to criticise other countries food standards, when our own aren’t exactly perfect ?‍

I don’t really understand...standards in the US are objectively worse. Have a quick google if you are interested. To relax our food standards to allow more imports with the USA would, in my opinion, be a bad thing. There is a reason we don’t see any American produce in our supermarkets, but we do see items from the rest of the world. (EU laws prevent it)

No one is saying our standards are perfect!

 

[Micky]

Nobody is perfect in the farming world but there are farmers out there that try their hardest, unfortunately the ones that give them a bad name are those that don’t have standards, or something has gone awfully wrong either in their personal life or they just don’t have a clue, and they are the ones that are highlighted in the media.

 

[chocolategirl]

I don’t really understand...standards in the US are objectively worse. Have a quick google if you are interested. To relax our food standards to allow more imports with the USA would, in my opinion, be a bad thing. There is a reason we don’t see any American produce in our supermarkets, but we do see items from the rest of the world. (EU laws prevent it)

No one is saying our standards are perfect!

I’m not saying I’m in favour of American food being imported, again my point has been missed?‍♀ I’m afraid I’m one of those old fashioned Brits who lives in hope that we’ll now become more self sufficient, and be more like the French! Have you ever been to a French supermarket? It’s interesting that the majority of their produce, is home grown ?In the interest of so called climate change, surely we need to stop flying and shipping stuff half way around the world don’t we? Farming has changed enormously over the last 30 odd years, and we can now grow things we never could before. Part of the problem imo is, our population is now so oversized, we are struggling to supply enough nosh for us all! Doesn’t that tell you something, and raise any concerns at all? I realise this is a different topic essentially, but still has a connection to the original subject of the post ?

 

[Keith_Beef]

I’m afraid I’m one of those old fashioned Brits who lives in hope that we’ll now become more self sufficient, and be more like the French! Have you ever been to a French supermarket? It’s interesting that the majority of their produce, is home grown

That's not entirely true...

In a French supermarket, the proportion of fruit and veg grown within France varies enormously from season to season and from one supermarket chain to another.

The Casino in town has about 60% French fruit and veg from late spring to late summer, but only about 30% at the moment. If you wanted to live on nothing but domestic produce, you'd not have much other than root veg, walnuts, hazelnuts and chicory.

Even in the summer, there will be imported peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, citrus fruit and soft fruit, mostly from Spain and Morocco, alongside the French produce.