The Collapse Of The Pound And The Effect On The El

[Humphrey Appleby]

We expect the ill informed politics of envy from V.O.R. but you must surely know that farming subsidies are an al most world wide phenomenon. The USA spends around $20billion. p.a on subsidies and Japan around $43 billion which is more than the whole of the EU spends including spending on inefficient French farmers. EU farming subsidies have been reduced considerably in recent years but the whole issue of subsidies is immensely complicated and not capable of easy dismantling. There is far more to the problem than blaming allegedly greedy farmers for depending on handouts.

If the EU isn't spending anywhere near as much as other countries then why are people complaining so much? Do they not think there are inefficient farmers there as well!

 

I didn't call the UK farmers greedy, but it is astonishing how they expect handouts whilst continually complaining about their lot, yet are strong supporters of governments otherwise opposed to industrial subsidies. Of course I'm aware that farming is based around long term inflexible cycles, vagaries of the weather, and it's important to maintain the food supply (even if it results in overproduction), but the hypocrisy is still incredible. They'll be the first in the queue for handouts from the UK government when their CAP subsidies disappear - so much for spending it on the NHS.

Edited November 1, 2016 by Humphrey Appleby

[E I Addio]

If the EU isn't spending anywhere near as much as other countries then why are people complaining so much? Do they not think there are inefficient farmers there as well!

 

I didn't say the EU isn't spending as much as other countries I said that Japan (that is one country ) spends more than the entire EU. Not sure how you make the jump from there to saying the EU isn't spending anywhere near as much as other countries.

 

Obviously there are inefficient as well as efficient farmers as in other any industry , but the EU in its wisdom has decided subsidies are the way to go not just in the UK but all over Europe. I dint see why the UK farmers should be deemed to be any less efficient than those anywhere else in Europe but the Voice of (Un)Reason seems to have a bee in his bonnet because UK farmers who vote Conservative get subsidies but he has no comment about French farmers under a Socialist government, who have long been among the most inefficient also getting subsidies. Almost everywhere in the developed world subsidies go with farming . Rightly or wrongly that's the way it is. You can't blame the UK farmers for accepting them when most others around the world get it.