Climate Change: Support for Farmers

Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville Excerpts

Thursday 23rd January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (LD)]

My Lords, the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of St Albans has, as always, set out his case with clarity and knowledge. The likely shortage of broccoli and cauliflower is due to the very wet and mild weather in the late autumn and run-up to Christmas, which caused early ripening, coupled with the twin blight of pigeons and slugs. Many growers are concerned about how they will fill the “hunger gap”, which occurs when winter crops have finished and the late spring/early summer ones are not ready. This shortage has yet to reach the No. 1 Millbank House Restaurant, where today the soup was broccoli and the vegetarian option cauliflower steak—demonstrating how popular these vegetables are.

Climate change is affecting not only the UK but our neighbours in Europe, including Spain, who are finding the weather changeable and problematic for their growing seasons. Yesterday, I went to the evidence session in the Jubilee Room and heard about muddy flooding, which attempts to engage farmers in using their land slightly differently in order to prevent flooding and soil erosion and produce more crops at the same time. Both the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the Climate Change Committee have flagged public funding, along with political commitment, as essential to taking this matter forward.

ELMS have taken over from the BPS, but the rollout has been slow and often complicated. Some schemes appear impossible for farmers to access. The issue of paying farmers to store water, especially on flood plains—where the land cannot be used in the winter—has been raised in this House previously. The noble Baroness, Lady McIntosh, referred to this. Have the Government moved forward on this issue? IDBs have a vital role to play in water management and storage, and do a brilliant job.

The House of Lords Library brief indicates, quite rightly, that climate change is human induced; therefore, it is up to humans to try to remedy what is happening. Farmers are not sitting around idly; they are some of the hardest workers in the country and have little time to delve into possible solutions on how to grow innovative, more resilient crops or farm their land differently. It is, therefore, up to the Government and Defra to help them with schemes that will take them forward. The remit of ELMS should be widened.

I will take my extra minute to raise the OEP. On Tuesday, I attended a webinar with its chair, Dame Glenys Stacey, who took us through the OEP’s annual report, which covers both Governments’ periods in office. The change of Government does not alter the legal requirements to meet the targets set by the OEP. Of the 43 targets, only nine are on track, 12 are practically on track, 20 are largely off track and two could not be assessed. Goal 5, to minimise waste, has moved to red. Goal 4, to manage exposure to chemicals and pesticides, has moved from amber to red. ELMS are not delivering due to lack of progress on water compliance. This is coupled with a lack of progress on climate change targets. It was one of the most depressing hours that I have spent in a long time.

Climate change affects the whole world, including America: Los Angeles is in ashes, Mobile in Alabama is under six inches of snow—a record since 1895—and the President plans to take the US out of the Paris accords. I am shocked by the lack of vision and understanding demonstrated by some of the Conservative speakers. It is no wonder they lost the election.

Given the OEP’s report, is there any hope for us that at least the UK Government know which way is up and will now take climate change seriously? If not, I fear for the future of the horticulture and farming industries.