Farmers support peaceful protests, according to poll
22nd February 2024
Following a recent poll, the British Farming Union (BFU) has found that over two thirds of its members support the idea of farmer protests as seen throughout the UK and Europe.
When asked ‘Do you support peaceful protests?’, 73% of BFU members said that they do. Twenty seven per cent of respondents said they prefer negotiation as a means of securing change.
Commenting on the poll, BFU spokesman Humphrey Mills said: “It is sad but unsurprising that our members are expressing these views, given the challenges faced in the current climate of corporate dominance and unfair trade deals.”
Poor profitability and compulsory land use changes such as those proposed by the Welsh Assembly are a real threat to the future of farm businesses. Other issues raised by BFU members include the administrative burden of assurance schemes and Government failure to bring bovine tuberculosis under control.
Mr Mills concluded: “Without the Sustainable Farming Incentive to fall back on, the support for direct action would have been even stronger. Even so, some of our members feel further disadvantaged by the SFI being unable to access many of the options due to farm type or location.”
Farmer protests have been seen in the UK and across the globe in Wales and Dover, as well as Europe and India.
READ MORE : Dover farmers host protest at supermarket in row over cheap imports
READ MORE : Welsh farmer protests begin with Wrexham roadblock
