The Labour Party Annual Conference 2023
SME4Labour and Mootral fringe: Can Labour help British farming reach net zero via science and innovation
This event is in the secure zone, so you will need a conference pass to access it.
🗓 Date: Sunday, 8 October 2023
⏳ Time: 16:00
📍Location: SME4Labour POD (Meeting Room 22), ACC Liverpool, Kings Dock Street, Liverpool, England, L3 4FP
SME4Labour and Mootral fringed: Did Labour Help British Farming Reach Net Zero via Science and Innovation? with Ruth Anderson, Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent, Shadow Spokesperson Defra; Nic Renison, Nature Friendly Farming Network; Cllr Rishi Madlani, Trustee of the Labour Climate and Environment Forum; Thomas Hafner, Founder and CEO, Mootral and Ed Towers, Farmer, Brades Farm. This panel discussion was chaired by Fiona Harvey, Environment Editor at the Guardian.
Thomas Hafner stressed the necessity to revamp current regulatory frameworks to align with the urgency of addressing climate change. He emphasized the need for regulatory structures that balance thoroughness and product efficacy while expediting market entry. Collaboration with global regulatory bodies was suggested to facilitate knowledge exchange. On the policy front, he highlighted the importance of British government support and recognition of the urgency, particularly in initiatives like these.
Ed Towers drew attention to the ageing demographic of farmers, with an average age of 59, and the reasons behind many farmers considering leaving the industry. He attributed this partly to incentives tied to land retention for inheritance tax purposes. Moreover, he pointed out that farmers have historically been incentivized to increase production while minimizing costs. He advocated for collective incentivization to encourage farmers to provide more intricate services, considering their role in producing 6% of the UK’s food and their potential to reduce emissions and sequester carbon in soil and forests.
Rishi Madlani emphasized the Labour Party’s commitment to integrating climate considerations into every aspect of their policies. He stressed the need to think about climate in every policy area across all UK cities, signifying the party’s readiness to govern and make critical policy choices, such as those related to achieving net-zero emissions and fostering innovation in agriculture.
In summary, the speakers addressed the pressing issue of agriculture’s significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions in Britain and the need for trust-building and policy innovation, particularly in the context of climate change and net-zero goals.
