As we jump straight into the New Year, you might have heard the good news.
Before New Year, Chancellor Sajid Javid, announced a pledge of £3 billion to support British farmers.

This means butchers can rest easy (for the time being) knowing the cash injection into the farming industry will keep things ticking along. The purpose of the pledge was to give confidence to farmers to help with the transition, as the UK prepares to leave the EU.

So, what will the funding be used for, and how may it impact your business?

How will the £3 billion be spent?

The funding will be available from late 2020, as similar subsidy payments have been in previous years.

The UK Government will therefore provide £2.8 billion of support, topping up the remaining EU funding, and matching the total funding for Direct Payment available for 2019.

The funding is spread across two financial years, as follows:

2020/21:

£1,751 million for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
£449 million for the Scottish Government
£231 million for the Welsh Government
£279 million for the Northern Ireland administration

2021/22:

£92 million for the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
£24 million for the Scottish Government
£12 million for the Welsh Government
£15 million for the Northern Ireland administration

What’s next?

There’s a rich history of farming in this country that’s vital to the near 6,000 independent butchers across England, as well as thousands of others working at supermarkets across the UK.

Once the UK leaves the EU, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) Direct Payments scheme (which supports farmers across Europe with subsidies) will no longer apply. During this time of change, Britain will be responsible for developing its own farm policy — for the first time in decades.

Be sure to keep an eye on the story as it develops and engage in the conversations on farming and butchery where you can!

We’ll know more in the coming weeks and months on what this new agricultural bill will look like and what the effects of a trade deal outside of the EU could mean for butchers and farmers across the UK.

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Oxford Farming Conference

As you’d expect, the news of this £3bn in support of British farming was generally well received and the new agricultural bill (to replace CAP) were both large talking points at the annual Oxford Farming Conference this week.

During one of the panel discussions at the annual Oxford Farming Conference, Environmental Minister Theresa Villiers said, “We have the potential to create a virtuous circle between agriculture, tackling climate change, protecting biodiversity, and securing investment in our rural economy.”

NFU President Minette Batters once again urged the Government to commit to introducing food standards to scrutinise future trade deals. In addition, Batters expressed an urgency for the Government to set out clear guidance on water usage and wastage in the UK.

However, some in the industry fear that the government won’t do enough to protect the standards and quality of British farming when negotiating trade deals.

No matter what the outcome (of the trade deals, agricultural bill, and £3bn pledge), you can continue to rely on Butcher’s Equipment Warehouse to continue providing top quality butcher’s equipment. Our stock includes high-end butchers knives and cutting boards, all the way up to machinery such as and meat bandsaws and meat slicers. Why not take a look around, and see what you can find?