Farmers stage major protest in Melton

Campaign group Save British Farming has organised the action as a public stance to oppose the government passing bills which they say will ditch UK animal welfare and environmental standards for imported food and flood the market with cheap, low-quality products, destroying Britain’s farming industry.

As UK-EU negotiations falter, the group says, a no-deal Brexit is the most likely outcome which puts British farming at the mercy of the US farm lobby.

The tractor demo is due to set off around 11.15am on a circular route around the town – delivering a letter en route to the constituency office of Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns.

Protestors will also meet outside Ye Old Pork Pie Shoppe, on Nottingham Street, from 11:30am, brandishing placards about the issue.

The protest is happening ahead of the Agriculture Bill ping-ponging back from the House of Lords to the Commons on Wednesday when MPs will once again be asked to vote to stand up for British farmers by voting for amendments to retain standards.

So far MPs have resisted amendments on two occasions which would have protected British produce from low quality imports undercutting them on the supermarket shelves despite polls showing that between 80 per cent and 94 per cent of people are against lowering UK food standards.

Local farmer Steve Elnor said: “I have a small farm near Grantham and my family have been farmers for many generations.

“In that time agriculture has evolved and my family has adapted how we have farmed.

“But now, rather than facing evolution, we are facing a revolution and I worry it is something that we, and many other family farms up and down the country, won’t be able to adapt to.

“We face uncertainty from January 1st 2021, not knowing what the market and prices will be.

“We also face a massive threat from the government’s apparent determination to tear apart the USP of British food in order to strike trade deals in desperation - high quality, affordable food produced to the highest environmental and welfare standards.

“We have the overwhelming support of the public, our customers, who recognise the quality of the food we produce.

“So I call on the government to listen to the public and put in place legislation that will ensure the British public can be content that they’ll continue to be able to buy the food they want.

Liz Webster, Founder of Save British Farming and farmer’s wife said, “This government was elected on a manifesto which promised to uphold British food, animal welfare and environmental standards but now they are bamboozling us with a myriad of excuses for selling British farmers down the river.

“In truth, it’s because they are desperate to do a deal with the USA.

“Sadly, the trade off means we have to doff our caps to America First demands and allow them to dominate and decimate our British agriculture and culture.”

In response to the farmers’ protest in Melton, a government spokesperson told the Melton Times: “This government has been clear that in all of our trade negotiations we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards, and claims to the contrary are unhelpful scaremongering.

“Chlorinated chicken and hormone-injected beef are not permitted for import into the UK.

“This will be retained through the EU Withdrawal Act and enshrined in UK law at the end of the transition period.

“The government is focused on getting trade deals that protect and advance the interests of our farmers and consumers.

“If a deal isn’t the right one, we will walk away.”