Rising costs having 'massive impact' on farming

A north Devon farmer has warned British agriculture is facing a combination of rising costs, global instability and livestock disease.

David Chugg, who is also regional chairman of the National Farmers' Union (NFU), said drought conditions, fuel and fertiliser costs and the continuing effects of bluetongue disease were creating major challenges for producers.

Chugg warned global conflicts had caused "a massive impact on our input prices for growing crops and food" and the NFU urged the government to use the next Budget to strengthen food security.

A government spokesperson said it supported and was working closely with farmers and the NFU to make sure the sector "gets the backing it needs".

Chugg highlighted conflicts in Iran, Ukraine and elsewhere in the Middle East as affecting prices.

He said: "I have to say I'm not very optimistic that we're in a good place at the moment because of the conflicts around the world and everything else that's going on.

"We've already got the highest prices on fertiliser for some time; for a long, long time."

Alongside rising costs, he described bluetongue as "quite a disaster this year".

Bluetongue is an insect-borne viral disease affecting sheep and cattle among other animals.

Official figures covering the period from 10 July to 00:00 on 15 October recorded 2,874 premises in England affected, including 1,288 in Devon - the highest total of any county.

Chugg said the biggest concern was the impact on livestock fertility.

"The knock-on effect is that the big problem is the fertility in the sheep flocks and the cow herds going forward," he said.

The concerns come as Devon County Council agreed to reinstate its Rural Support and Wellbeing Programme.

The authority approved up to £180,000 for a three-year scheme to help farming families access practical advice and wellbeing support as they continued to deal with the financial, emotional and animal welfare impacts.

Council member Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin said bluetongue had caused a "devastating impact" on many farming families, while Farming Community Network regional manager Stephen Dennis warned the disease's long-term effects on fertility could affect farm incomes next year and beyond.

The government cut the duty on red diesel from 10.18p to 6.48p per litre earlier this year and extended the temporary 5p fuel duty cut until the end of the year.

It has also taken regulatory action to bring several million additional bluetongue vaccines onto the British market.

A government spokesperson said: "We have slashed duty on the red diesel fuel they rely on to its lowest rate in over 20 years in an 80% tax discount, saving farmers almost £300m a year and have also boosted drought resilience funding by £65m to help farmers plan for the future."

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