The General Election - What do farmers want to see from the next Government?

On this week’s podcast, news reporter Chris Brayford is joined by a host of guests including farmers and politicians to discuss the implications of a General Election to farming communities and some of the priorities they want to see from the next UK Government.  Our guests include NFU vice-president David Exwood, ‘Pretend Farmer’ and sheep farmer Karl Franklin, Buckinghamshire arable and beef farmer Richard Heady, Staffordshire arable farmer Clive Bailye and Oxfordshire farmer Ben Adams. With a General Election just around the corner, farmers will be heading to the polls on July 4 to decide which candidate and, ultimately, which party they would like to see lead the UK Government. Political parties and candidates have been making their pitches to farming communities over the past few weeks, but which party will gain the hearts and minds of rural voters? Will it be the Conservative Party led by Rishi Sunak? Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour? Sir Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats? Nigel Farage’s Reform UK? Adrian Ramsay’s Green Party? Only you can decide. Enjoy the podcast.

Transcript

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Trust me. Hello, everybody. My name is Chris Bradford, and this is the Farmers Guardian podcast. We are just days away from the general election. Political parties have released their visions for the future of the agricultural sector. Have you been impressed? What has caught your attention? Will political parties deliver the funding and conditions to ensure farmers a bright and prosperous future? On this week's episode, we gain reaction from farmers about the general election and what it could mean to the industry going forward. You'll hear from politicians, from the labor and conservatives who have put forward their case as to why farmers should vote for their party. So sit back and enjoy the party. Conservative candidate Neil Ferguson, better known as the veteran MP who will be standing for the seat of Epping Forest. I think the message out there is the Conservative Party is the party that fully understands the rural communities and I sit on the environment, Food and Rural Affairs select Committee and I've triggered a number of inquiries on things like mental health, on farm payments and on animal welfare. And it's our party that's driving forward those agendas. And I'm really, really keen that parliamentarians work with the farming community and all stakeholders in the rural communities. And that's the Conservative Party that has got your back. So we will support you moving forward. It might be a long list, but since you've become an MP, what is it you've probably most proud of that you've achieved to help farmers and rural communities? I think some of these inquiries that I've been able to take a lead on in, in Parliament, looking at things like mental health of rural communities, rural communities really struggle with certain issues, whether that's acute shock events like flooding or infectious disease outbreaks. We've seen over the last couple of years the impact of avian flu right across the country and the impact that has on people's livelihoods, but also their personal mental health as well. So I've been able to liaise with ministers, talk and make sure that people are supported in this community. So that's my role as a constituency MP to stand up for those causes and actually deliver for people. As the only vet in the House of Commons, I believe I've got a very privileged role to stand up for the farming community. Stand up for animal health and welfare. One of the key issues facing us is Biosecure. And actually, we are fortunate to be an island nation. And in terms of that, in terms of plant disease, animal disease, we've got to make sure that our borders are very safe within that. So I've been very clear that we need to very much support the animal plant health Agency and make sure that that disease surveillance and disease control side of things is supported moving forward, because we've got to yes, we've got to spend a bit of money now, but that will save us a lot of money and a lot of heartache in the future. And I think those are the key issues. Equally so in the Northern Ireland side of things, that a lot of the issues that the GB Northern Ireland border, 80 to 85% of them are animal and plant related. So I firmly believe that the Windsor framework is a good thing. But if we can actually tighten that up and actually get some clarity in terms of some of that, those issues at that particular border, then I think that will also solve a lot of the political issues with with Brexit as well. So I firmly believe my position as a as a veterinary surgeon can actually help inform policy in that area. So as, as you probably, well, well aware, we are coming into a general election. What do you think are some of the key issues that farmers have been raising with yourself right now? I think trying to get some clarity about the financial, setting moving forward and certainly change is coming and the government has been rolling out these new schemes and I'm full square behind them. The Sustainable Farming Incentive and the countryside stewardship schemes, the animal health and welfare pathways and farming in protected landscapes. There's some really good schemes. My message to farmers and land managers and landowners moving forward is please get engaged with these programs. The way to help these programs be successful is if people engage with them, and then if there are problems with them, they can be tweaked. But if people are within the system and that's the thing is, there's been a lot of negativity put out by opposition politicians about these. These systems are coming. Change is coming. And the way to get change to work is to embrace that change so that people enroll in the schemes. Then they can inform Defra how they're working and they can be improved from there. So I'm really keen that we get good uptake and also I will be talking to government ministers as well. We want clarity moving forward. We need long term commitments funding wise because farmers are businesses and we need to know you can't plan just six weeks in advance. You need to have clarity moving forward. So I think my message is that the conservatives have your back. And with MPs like me, I'll be pushing that case with government that we can get clarity for farmers and land managers moving forward, it is possible to farm sustainable produce, good food locally at the same time as looking after the environment. The two are not mutually exclusive. The two go hand in hand. Farmers are the ultimate custodians of nature and the two go hand in hand. And we can make sure that it works to make sure that the UK is food secure. And actually, we're looking after the environment and making sure that people are eating good quality, locally produced, sustainable food. And I think that is something that a conservative government can deliver on. Yeah, I'm a conservative politician and I firmly believe we are the party that understands farming and rural communities. So if other parties were to win the election, I'd be very concerned at that. So that's my message, is that the conservatives are the party that understand farming, understand rural industries, understand the rural sectors, and really that that a conservative government will give you that support moving forward. Labor candidate Daniel Zeichner, who's also the shadow farming minister, he stunned into the Cambridge MP. So the Labor Party has been transformed over the last few years. It feels very, very different to me and I'm quite optimistic. I hope what we'll see and I'm confident we can do this, is a much clearer, calmer plan to go forward. I mean, I think people in the farming community would welcome that because we've we've had an extraordinary 7 or 8 years and obviously global events, are not under the control of the government. But there are some things that have been and particularly on the agricultural transition, I think it's it's struggling, in my view. And I think one of the things we've talked about a lot of the conference events is the fact that it's extraordinarily difficult, doesn't appear to have a proper plan to net zero. And actually, I think that's probably got to be the the thing that guides everything else, because at the moment I want album to work. I really want it to work. But it's really hard when you don't know where you're starting from, when you don't know how much money is being paid out and you don't really know. I don't think the government really knows the environmental impact he's having. So we're going to have to not upset it, because we want to make sure the money gets out to farmers, but we're going to have to focus it much more. And I think that will be welcome. What are some of the biggest challenges farmers face at the moment? Daniel. Well, look at so much of it is has been about costs and about the squeeze. And I mean, none of these are new problems and they're not easy problems to resolve. But the the the unfairness in the supply chain, wherever the money's going, it isn't always going to farmers, is it? And I look at the different sectors. You look at the volatility of of prices in the dairy sector. How how do you plan ahead now? Okay. People say there's nothing new in that as well. And I welcome the fact that the government has started what has put in place, the changes to the contractual system. Let's hope they have some effect. But overall, I think a lot of farmers, what they're telling me is it's not great at the moment, but it's not just the economics. What I'm hearing from a lot of people is it's actually rural crime. And in my part of the world, it's, and I suspect everywhere else too, that the sort of almost industrial scale theft of G.P.S. systems makes people's lives a misery, having to batten down the hatches at virtually every night and hide stuff. But it's not even just that, I'm afraid. Is that also, in some places, there's a real sense of lawlessness in the country. So something's something's gone badly wrong in the country. And I don't think it's going to be a quick fix. But I think a determination, a real determination as the last labor government had to tackle anti-social behavior is what's needed. But we're not starting from a great place. But in terms of the farming sector in particular, I think the conservatives obsession with Brexit has meant that they they felt that the transition away from the cap was just enough in itself without really thinking through, where we went. So I think that in the early stages of the Agricultural Act went through a couple of transitions, the kind of emission of food production from their thinking has been a fatal flaw. So for us, food security and obviously global events are rather pulling this out. It matters now, of course, with not try to be self-sufficient, but I don't think you can be ambivalent about whether the country should be producing more food or less food. And Rachel Rees has been very clear. She wants to see more produced, bought and sold in this country. And that's true of the food sector as any other. So food security is right up there. The top of of Labor's agenda. And I think actually, most people get that. Daniel, why should farmers and rural communities vote for labor at the next general election? Well, I think rural communities have come behind labor before in 97 and in 2001. And we're ambitious. We think we are now the party that's got the sensible offer. But there is a faction in the Conservative Party and a faction that held power a year ago that clearly thinks that our standards don't really matter that much, and that it's just about getting the cheapest food on world markets. And that would be disastrous for British agriculture. So I think there's a real difference in terms of that big policy view. Labor's taken a completely different view throughout. We know it's complicated. We also know it's quite hard to renegotiate some of the deals that are already been done. But our pledge is to produce food here and I think I can't undo. I find it hard to imagine why any farmer would vote conservative after that. Now I'm realistic enough to know that people, people's loyalties run deep. but I do think we've got to a much more sensible, pragmatic offer. And to the wider rural community. I think public services really do matter. So whether it's that sense of insecurity that's come with with rising crime or whether it's things like basic things like access to health service, which in too many rural communities now it's bad enough waiting for an ambulance anywhere. But if you've got a really long wait, that's terrifying. And again, there's not an overnight fix here, but I think historically people understand that labor governments restore public services, and I think they're now sufficiently frayed for a lot of people to think this looks like a party we might better trust. And that's my job to reinforce what Keir Starmer has done, which I think is to put labor clearly in the center ground. And I think I hope that's an offer that many people in rural communities can have, look at and and think, yes, these people can be trusted. There's going to be a choice between a government and, Rishi Sunak's answer, Keir Starmer. Yes, sir. Daniel, why why should farmers feel confident in a government under Sir Keir Starmer? I think the evidence is very clear that the conservatives are pretty unstable. Grouping at the moment, very unclear who will be leader even a few months ahead, possibly even a few weeks ahead. Keir Starmer is absolutely with his party. We are united and I think the country needs a period of calm to recover from. Quite frankly, the storm that the conservatives of some extent created themselves over the last few years. So I think if you if you as most businesses tell me, want some certainty and some stability, if not better off with labor, I obviously I'm biased, but I don't think the last few years have been that, that that would be looked back on by historians say this was our finest hour. no, Keir, obviously he's got a huge swathe, things to cover. But, just finally, I would say I think a better relationship with our neighbors. The quest for a phytosanitary agreement is really important for the farming sector. And I think he is in a much better place to get that. NFU vice president David Oxford, what do you want to see as being a, you know, among the top priorities for agriculture and farming? I think the first thing the farmers need is stability. I see so much change in policy, politics, and everything around them. The industry, they want stability from what looks like potentially new government. So stability in policy is really important. And look SFI is chopped and changed lately. I think people are starting to get nervous. They need stability. Most of all it's budget. So is that commitment to the Defra budget. We've been living off a guaranteed budget for the last Parliament that has now ended. So it's certainty on the budget going forward as an increased budget, if we're really going to deliver for the environment and food, we can't do it off a budget that was set many years ago on a completely different basis. We want ambition in that budget, a modest ambition. We recognize that the government purse strings is going to be tight, but we think we can deliver a lot with that money. to probably coincide with the the launch of your harvest. It gets to those in that you say those in a challenge is that farmers have faced for the past. Goodness knows how long. You know, first 12 months we've regarded with the weather and also it's say do you think there's a time where we probably need to be more positive and engaging with about the industry that we're part of? So, look, it's been an incredibly challenging couple of years for farming and farm with our confidence. Survey shows that confidence is at an all time low. But but farming has an opportunity to deliver like no other industry. And we have to we have to be clear about the opportunity. We have to tell the story of how we can deliver for food and the environment. I think that's going to be the key challenge for the new government, whoever they are, and we will be going into them saying, look, farming can deliver us. We are the future. We can do have so many solutions. We will work with you. Could I touch upon what farmers have been telling you in terms of what they're wanting to see in those general election manifestos? I know that the budget's up there. What else? So the number one question I get is, you know, will Elms continue? Will I say for a big change? we don't know. We think it's unlikely it's going to be change, will. I think there's that I think is the question about to, government policy, but I think it's a budget TV policy as well. It's really key. And we've had a successful, TV policy for this government for the recent years. But again, they want to see that continue. They've seen it work. They don't want all that good work to be lost. Sheep farmer Carl Franklin, better known as the Britain farmer from the Cotswolds to Farmers House first to this point in luck, politicians should be aware of the weather's been one. This weather is one. No one can control that everything. No one can control. The one that's the hardest one. food chains, I think is our biggest is one of our biggest one, having fairness across the whole board. And I think it's, it's government, politicians being brave enough to stand up against the big supermarket giants. And I'm giving us the little guys, the voice. And I'm not saying that we. Yes, it'd be lovely to. It's it's getting that happy medium. Let's be honest, the price that we had probably is if we have the chance, we'll like a sheep farm and we'll push ourselves out of the market. If we're not careful. Like, yes, it's great. The price at the minute not going to knock it, but if it goes up any more, we ain't going to be selling lamb to the British consumer because they're just not going to pay it. And I think that's it's fairness and food waste. I think we all forget food waste. Like if we didn't waste on our food we did one. Food could be cheaper and two we wouldn't be cooking in the bin. And I think that's what friends of ours is. Farmers here today spending hours and hours now producing food, which never makes it onto the supermarket shelves. And I've never understood why why government tolerate it. I just, I just I just don't understand. And I think that's a big one. and there would be a bigger room for the environment and nature if we didn't waste so much food because we would be eating more like the food we produce. I'd love to know how much of that actually makes onto the supermarket, compared to how much actually goes in the bin. well, if all that food was going on the shelf and people were eating it, we then wouldn't need to be, like us from nothing on production. We wouldn't be upping production because we'd just be eating the stuff we already produce. so that's where they don't want to upset the apple cart. No pun intended. Supermarkets have got a bigger voice. They're not going to mess around with them. And I think that's that's what I want to see of the next government is having their eye set the balls or the backbone. That's probably the better, better wording, the backbone to actually stand up for those big giants. I mean, hold on a minute. and yes, it'd be lovely for them to look after farming, but put farming aside to one side and deal with food waste that has nothing to do with farming. And in a sense, it's gone past the farmer. And it's that interim between that bit. I think that's what we should really be. One of the big things they should be cracking down on and coming hard on, on, on farm because now we're in the UK. I suppose culture on on food is they want to pay as little as possible, rightly and wrongly. But that's where we are. It's going to take a lot of generations to to change that. It's not going to happen overnight. And I'd be naive of us to, to think that. So on that I suppose the other the other one is education. And it all boils back down to education. And I think we probably should spend more money in schools educating our next generation. The consumer of the future, because the consumer of today has already made the decision because they're in the supermarket buying it. It's the next generation is the one. But we have a say in on what they're going to buy and what they're going to eat. so I think those are two things. Food waste is a big one. We can change for today's consumer and education, tomorrow's consumer. as to what they will buy in the future, which will dictate, an understanding, like where food comes from and working with the environment and buying the best food possible for the best price. so that's what I'd like to see politicians do. But whether they'll do any of that probably not about still keep bickering about each other, about taxes and what the other one's not doing, because that's seems to be more of an important thing for them. Arable and beef farmer Richard Heidi, who's from Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, maybe not so well. Maybe it has sprung upon us for a general election not too far away. What was kind of your initial reaction to that? When the Prime Minister announced that a few weeks ago. What was your what was your initial reactions and thoughts? I guess my initial reaction to the, the election announcement was, is, is there enough going on in the world at the minute with our election on top of it all? You know, we need a steady hand at the tiller at the minute. And with political turmoil on top of the rest of the turmoil, with the weather and the wars that we've got going on, it's just something extra that we didn't really need to contend with, and we're going to have to contend with. what do you think was, discussions with, you know, with fellow farmers? What, as I said, something very similar. Have they said that it's a good time or a bad time for it? Well, what have they been saying? It's an interesting political time. You know, I think there are a lot of people who want change, and they're delighted to have the opportunity to give change. At the same time, I think there are a lot of farmers who feel a little bit politically homeless. so there are a lot of floating voters about at the minute just waiting for the right election pledge to to bring them in. so yeah, it's going to be very interesting seeing all the manifestos come out and see who's going to value agriculture the most. I think that's very, I think that's going to be very important. Those are the priorities that political parties are on the place and what they're going to to pledge and to promise to, to farmers. But, Richard, what do you think are some of those top priorities? What do political parties need to do to support farmers and support agriculture as a whole? Well, we need a pledge to to look at our culture more. You know, we need to be supplying more home grown foods. We need you know, limits, put on the amount of home grown food just so we can keep production levels up. It's so important for food security that we have this home grown production and it's supported right. And also, you know, elm schemes are only just really getting rolled out. And we need security. I think going forwards know that if we put our trust in these schemes, they're still going to be here and they're going to be properly funded for the future. And I think farming, it's hard for a part time as things that over the past, you know, if you think specifically on the weather, it has been very volatile for the past year or so, but there have been so many challenges that farmers have got to face around that as well, aren't there? You know, there's if you think of the weather, there's there's the flooding impact as well. That is there's quite, quite a lot that farms after isn't there. Yeah, it's been incredibly difficult year. But I think we're finding we're saying that every year because if it's not flooding it's droughts. so I think farmers are having to be as adaptable as ever. You know, we're having to kind of diversify what we're doing, be that off farm diversification, but also with SFI and things like that. So, you know, just generally we need support to carry on our businesses. We need support through environmental schemes, through energy incentives. We need looked after because, you know, we need fuel. We need fertilizers. We need to import these. We it's not all produced in the UK and we need those things. So we need to have the government that listens to us and helps us out. Because without that support, it's a struggle in the changing world. If we lost agriculture, this country would change, you know, and we'll be relying on being fed by countries that are suffering even more than us. With global warming. I think it's important, as ever, that we continue and build on our homegrown production, just to keep our country great and look after the wildlife and the environment and, and the people of this country. Some, some great points there it to I think also the farmers are very resilient people, aren't they. They are used to overcoming challenges that they face, that they are a very strong willed people. I and yeah, as I say, you know, every year throws up a new challenge and we step up to that challenge and try and change what we're doing and adapt our practices to survive. Staffordshire arable farmer Clive Bailey I think I'm in a really odd situation because, it's a case of like voting for the least worst rather than the best option. I think the truth is, nobody really wants conservatives to win all labor, but they're going to have to win it. And then the others between the two end up is a bit of a sideshow to my mind or any of that, you know. Well, though, you can make a point by voting reform or Lib Dem or any of these others, being realistic, they're not going to form governments. So, you know, a conservative voter voting for reform fails to old or Lib Dems is really a vote for like, you know, is making it more certain they're going to get a labor government. I don't know. I'd always be worried about Labor's taxing a lot more. But then again, the Tories have been not exactly kind of taxation. They've been quite, quite heavily on them. yeah. I'm not sure I'd place too much in the polls. We've all seen Brexit and other polls not work out. So I don't think it's I don't, although obviously you would sit here right now and say, oh it's a runaway. I would definitely get a labor government. I don't there's any certainty in those kind of things anymore. I think it could go away when it actually comes to it. Who knows? but and from agriculture point of view, as far as I'm aware, neither of them have really made any great statements about agricultural commitments yet. I mean, I think manifestos for manifestos haven't been kind of announced yet. It's disappointing, but I can understand why, because I think for the the bulk of voters, there are far bigger and pressing, more pressing issues. And what's going on in the countryside right now, you know, post Covid, post war in Ukraine, Brexit, all of those issues, what's going on with tax cost of living crisis, all that stuff. I think that's I can see why they're not folks in agriculture, but at some point they are going to have to come out and tell us what they're actually going to do. What the arable farmer Ben Adams, from Barchester in Oxfordshire, whoever is fighting over the same budget online, I think we've had a real underspend recently because not much enough people have taken up various grants and SFI that has been on the table because we have had a huge decline of books and there is a lot of money on the table. I don't think farmers have been picking it up. and I think the NFU, I think, are asking for a budget of 5.5 million. Yeah. I don't know where on earth. Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. I don't know where on earth that is going to go, but there's going to be some serious increases in payments if you want to see that. I don't know who who is going to be next in government, but I hope they carry on with the direction that SFI is headed. As we've mentioned, they're not. Yeah, they're going in the right direction. I'm also worried about tax implications, certain governments. but I heard the secretary of state in the shadow secretary of state both speak last week, and they both had various points across. But. Now another question is how much do you believe of what they actually say? Yeah, it's there's so much uncertainty. Staffordshire arable farmer Clive Bailey I think what they all need to understand is that the agriculture budget isn't just about farmers, it's it's rural economy, isn't it? I mean, you know, you talk to some of the manufacturers here, you know, if farmers are doing well, they spend money on machinery, you know, and they spend. Yeah, they create employment. The whole rural economy and the associated industries that that surround it all. It's not it's, you know, it's it's more import. And I think as long as they understand that they can't walk away from that really, or you end up with like, you know, they come out rural. Britain's like the third world part of our country that I can't see that happening. So yeah, like it'd be a real shame for them to say I know some farmers wish that they would just all rip off all this SFI nonsense and go back to Veeps and just pass a fixed amount. I've never been a big fan of those kind of subsidies. I think they don't actually subsidize farmers. They end up subsidizing landowners and not, you know, farming and land ownership, you know, easy to confuse the two things, but they're not the same thing. so, and also, I think it creates a lot of inefficiency, taking the, you know, the counter to what I was saying earlier about how spheres is more attractive to people on less productive land and not productive, but not so productive people who can who can grow great crops or arable. Farmer Ben Adams, from Barchester in Oxfordshire. I think I want to see a lot more on labeling of food import standards and that always the word always gets mentioned because that level playing field, I don't know if we are effectively not being subsidized to do something or if someone else is allowed to do something that we're not to, then effectively it's unfair that we are then at a lower baseline compared to the country that can use a certain product, for example. And we're still important that and still competing with that. That's the bit that really annoys me. And I think there needs to be a lot more. I don't know how you do it, but I just feel it's unfair. And if we've got good standards, we need to uphold them. And that should even their price premium for them or access to different markets. But currently there is no benefit whatsoever. It's only a disadvantage. Staffordshire arable farmer Clive Bailey. Sure. I mean that that's that's without doubt the single biggest issue to fix in in UK culture, both from an import point of view. As Ben said, I won't repeat what you say. We can't. We can't compete when we're allowing, you know, kind of imports to come into the UK, into our country, saddled on the same shelves or mixing or supplying the same mills as my weight. Does that have been allowed to be produced using, you know, things banned in the UK? Same goes in the livestock sector. You know, lower welfare standards that can be used abroad. I mean, how can I say that that needs addressing. But I know it's it's a complicated issue because these are bigger, wider trade deals, involving other sectors. but we don't make these from themselves because we put layers like Red tractor. We, we put our own layers on top of that. Again, I'd say even more to that, that we need to we need to get away. If not, that's not something from the industry to sort of than government, I think. So that that alone, if you if you if we had that equal, if imports had to be equal, we wouldn't. We've been talking about SFR, I've been talking about. Yes. You wouldn't need them. I think, you know, when Putin first invaded Ukraine, we got a glimpse of what wheat prices would really be like if we weren't competing with imports. Wheat was 350 pounds a tonne. That's the real price of UK wheat when we're not competing of imports. Yeah. And I think most farmers are the grain. You can keep yourself or you can keep your vapes. We wouldn't need it at our level. you know, I think the other thing I'd like to see addressed, and I don't think it's talked about much in manifestos, but I think, just on the UK level, fairness in both our supply chain. I think there's various, you know, there's situations within the UK supply chain, you know, where around fertilizers and the inputs, raw and chemicals the inputs are using where it's not as open a market as it should be. and I think that needs, that needs looking at because I think if, if that was a more open, a more competitive market, it would definitely benefit farmers. you know, when prices would be more what they should be rather than what people might be want them to be. So that's something that I'd like to see looked at, but also on from a from the retail side as well, the kind of power that just a handful of small, large retailers have connected to a handful of small processes is very much dictating a price to farmers, which is just not realistic. It's not giving a fair price. so I'd love to say, for instance, I've often said that, a simple basic rule would be, you know, I think it should be a legal fence. I'm not setting anyone's manifesto illegal to pay any farmer less than the cost of production. Yeah, that that's a, you know, to me. And I think they have they have they have laws along those lines in France. I believe that alone would make a big difference. And it's not something that I think anyone would argue is it just feels fair to not, you know, not use your size as a large slave market to force people into selling milk or wheat or whatever. The low cost of production is just right, isn't it? Yeah. It shouldn't should, it shouldn't exist. It's a it's a false market. It's not sustainable. It's the definition of not if I get sustainable as environmentally sustainable, it's not financially sustainable to to produce anything less than cost to production. So yeah, that would be I'd love to see that in anyone's manifesto that, that help get my vote. That runs up another episode on the Farmers Guardian podcast. We'll see you on the other side of the general election, when we will hopefully have an indication if it will be lead in the country and how they will back British farmers. So in the meantime, have a fantastic week and let's catch up again next time. Goodbye.