Charles warns over survival of small farms
The Prince of Wales said Britain is in danger of ripping ‘the heart out’ of the countryside if it lets small family farms go to the wall.
Britain is in danger of ripping “the heart out” of the countryside if it lets small farms go to the wall, the Prince of Wales has warned.
He believes the focus on producing plentiful and cheap food threatens the survival of smaller farms but optimism can be found in the wide-ranging efforts of high-profile figures such as England footballer Marcus Rashford and cook Jamie Oliver.
These may include damage to soils and major watercourses, emissions that add to global warming, along with the social and economic impact on local communities.
The prince told the programme: “The fact that these costs are hidden encourages us to ignore them; for example, our current approach is forcing many small family farms to the wall.
“If they go, it will quite simply rip the heart out of the British countryside and break the backbone of Britain’s rural communities.”
Charles said he is increasingly confident that a transition to more sustainable forms of agriculture can be achieved, and praised the work of high-profile figures.
He told Today: “From field to fork, extraordinary work is being done to try and build a better food system for everyone – be it Jamie Oliver promoting education and a balanced diet, (businessman) Henry Dimbleby’s ambitions for safe, healthy and affordable food, or Marcus Rashford, whose mission off the football field is to tackle child hunger.”
The BBC noted that the Government has said it wants to support all farmers and the choices that they take on their own holdings.
Charles’s comments came ahead of the publication of the National Food Strategy, the first major review of Britain’s food system in more than 70 years.
It is expected that Thursday’s report will explore the links between food production and environmental degradation, including climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and the sustainable use of resources.
It will also include recommendations for the Government.
The first part of the strategy was published in July last year and highlighted the connection between obesity, poverty and the UK’s high Covid-19 death toll.
Charles suggested there may be promising investment opportunities in innovative approaches to agriculture, and said he is working to link private investors with the pioneers of these new sustainable approaches to farming.
He also told the programme that “only by benefiting nature can we benefit people, and that will ensure the future of our living planet”.
