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| The Last Word: Jim Paice MP |
 It pays to have friends in the corridors of power, especially those who really understand dairying. One of the industry’s most respected and knowledgeable supporters is Conservative MP Jim Paice, who began his career in farming, before turning to politics. He has represented the South East Cambridgeshire constituency for 20 years, and he’s currently The Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Rural Affairs. StraightTalk caught up with him for his views on current agricultural issues. The Labour Government, and many MPs in general, have not been noted for their concern about food and farming recently. However, at the recent NFU conference, Gordon Brown surprised the industry by saying food security was firmly on its agenda. The first question to Jim Paice MP, was obvious: is the Government really changing their view? “Gordon Brown made reference to the subject at the NFU, but given that two years ago he was the author of a Treasury document which concluded food security was not a policy objective and that we could import instead, I am not sure I believe his conversion just yet. In contrast, with the Conservatives food security is at the core of our policy. “Of all the farming sectors the livestock one is particularly under pressure because of the rising grain prices, and other issues like carbon, NVZ’s, the health debate and officialdom, he believes. He can relate to the view among some in the industry that many in Government would like to see the livestock sector wound down because ‘it’s bad for the environment and because the products produced are bad for people,’ but thinks the option to import instead is a non starter. “I believe that the livestock sector is a vitally important one and those who think we can import all our meat or dairy products ignore the fact that 70% of our landscape is agriculture and it has to be maintained somehow. It is a nonsense to say if we stopped eating meat or dairy products, the environment would be somehow improved,” explained Mr Paice. He is dismissive of the current ideas for food ‘traffic light’ labelling, which would, as it stands, damn many cheeses. It is, says Mr Paice, far too simplistic a scheme. Needless to say that is one of the many battles he’s fighting on behalf of the sector. Another is over the proposed legislation on NVZs. “It is one of the most astonishingly prescriptive pieces of legislation I have ever set eyes on. The idea that someone in Whitehall can lay down a date in the legislation when a farmer can spread slurry is just absurd.” He believes the decision on what to spread and when, should be left to the farmers. “The lawmakers have become completely obsessed with the process, rather than the outcome. Even with the likes of the nitrate legislation there is some logic in it, in that it seeks to reduce nitrates, but we are losing sight of that objective through the very prescriptive sets of rules that farmers must follow. “The Conservative approach will be to look at all of the proposed legislation, get rid of those we can and go back to trusting the farmers to achieve the outcome themselves rather than developing huge rule books and check lists that they should be doing, and which someone has to come out and inspect,” he added. On the subject of TB, Mr Paice is not optimistic of an early announcement of a badger cull. “We’ve gone nowhere in the last ten years. There has been an abdication of responsibility. The disease is growing, the cost is increasing.” He says the Conservatives are in favour of a targeted badger cull as part of a package of measures, but would want to run one in conjunction with tests on badger setts to determine likely infectivity. He believes this would help target infected badgers and help win over public concern. The Government, he thinks, will hide behind the prospect of an injectable vaccine coming to the market in two years as being the main reason to hold off from a badger cull. As far as First Milk is concerned Mr Paice is strongly in favour of farmer co-operatives – and indeed worked for one for eight years before becoming an MP. “I’m very supportive of them,” he says. “We know British farmers haven’t been strong co-operators compared to European farmers but I think that is a cultural issue. The co-ops are getting their act together and are improving all the time. I hope farmers will stick with them.” But what about sticking with dairying? Is he more or less optimistic now about the sector than he was a few years ago? “Overall, the prospects for farming over the next few years are good. But there will have to be changes. Farmers will have to manage their businesses in a way that recognises their impact on the environment more. Some of the old practices are no longer acceptable. “The supply chain on dairying is sorting itself out, which is good. And if we look at the opportunities in terms of food provenance and desire for local, which is now rising exponentially and far faster than organic, it all bodes well for the future,” he concludes.
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