National Trust attacks government on farming – Lib Dem response

The family farm could disappear due to the government’s failure to guarantee subsidy beyond 2022, the Liberal Democrats have warned. Liberal Democrat farming spokesperson Kate Parminter said: “No doubt ministers will also ignore the National Trust for being experts. “It is right that farming subsidy should be in return for promoting the public good, such as for producing high quality food and for improving the environment. “But the government’s refusal to guarantee subsidies beyond 2022 makes it impossible for farmers to plan, threatens the very future of the family farm, and could have devastating effects on the much-loved British landscape.” Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron added: “Farmers have every right to feel betrayed by this government but ministers no doubt fear that their extreme Conservative Brexit will cause such damage to the economy that they won’t be in a financial position to guarantee subsidies for the family farm into the next parliament. Farmers have been betrayed.”