Fiona Kent-Pearce

Dairy farmer and York history graduate. Wife and mum. Breed holsteins, like to bake things!

[James Rebanks @herdyshepherd1]

The U.K. governments relationship with farming is borderline abusive

Produce cheap
Stop producing cheap
Produce nature
We will pay for it
Oh no we won’t
Apply for green transition
No more public funds
New taxes
Get big
Don’t get big
Grow farms big
But we’ll tax you if you do

[Stuart @StuartMaggs]

In Parliament yesterday, @DanielZeichner confirmed that he has known about this cliff edge for 5 years, and waved away criticism that closing the SFI scheme should be considered a sudden move.

If we take him at his word, then this means in the 8 months since he assumed office he has deliberately done nothing about this issue. He has allowed farmers to put in a huge amount of effort and money preparing for SFI applications, knowing that some of them won't make it. He felt it was more important to avoid a rush of applications than to warn people, say in October last year, that applications would be cut off.

It means he has been having review meetings on the issue, where they decide not to close the scheme as it approaches 70%, 80%, 90% of capacity, while his team prepared changes to the website so it could be shut on a moment's notice. It meant the system had been promising to give six week's notice to applicants before closure knowing that was false.

Rather than the SFI debacle being a badly managed mess, it suggests deliberate cruelty. What sort of person keeps encouraging people to get into line for environmental projects knowing he is going to slam the door in their face? If the sudden closure of the scheme was "working as intended", what does that say about their regard for farmers?

An alternative version would be that @SteveReedMP sent him to Parliament yesterday to try to obfuscate his way through this mess, and no-one thought through the implications of his position statement.

Which do you think is right?

[James Rebanks @herdyshepherd1]

Easiest prediction ever

And here’s another - there will be further food price inflation - because supply is limited, constrained and in some cases declining - and demand is growing

It’s simple - you either take food systems seriously or it makes you in time

[James Rebanks @herdyshepherd1]

Food price inflation is racing again

Told you this would happen

Our goverment is idiotic

They’ve imposed massive tax rise liabilities on our food system and dismantled the support system that part funded food production in the U.K.

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@HefinR The way mine went up when I shut them up in late November I’d say not 🤣
I think the change to more autumn blocks is starting to have an effect as well as the temptation to throw a bit more food at them this year when it was comparatively less expensive

[James Rebanks @herdyshepherd1]

Two days ago we needed growth so much that nature (newts and bats) was in the way of runways and roads

Today we need nature so bad farmers should abandon growth and sacrifice their property for climate change and nature restoration

WTF?
Do they even listen to themselves?

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@StuartMaggs I can’t imagine that I’d be happy doing anything else and there’s no way to find out because I’m completely tied to this life and the work and if we stopped and sold up we’d never be able to get it back.

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@StuartMaggs I’ve done it because I love it, I love the cows and working with my family and because of the responsibility I feel to my grandfather’s investment in this land and to the herd of cows which is a continuum of the one he started.

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@HefinR @ProagriLtd 👏

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@herdyshepherd1 Thought he looked a belter (no pun intended!) good luck with the next bit 🤞

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@Ebouadams 🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍

[Derby County @dcfcofficial]

Anyone else got a sore head? 😅

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@BarbaraDixon__ How amazing that they were both born at the same time though?! Twins definitely have some magic that is beyond our understanding! Sending love and best wishes to you all ❤️

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@farmermat1 @ThrimbyFarms In that case the sooner @ThrimbyFarms buys an irrigator the better 🤣

[Hefin Richards @HefinR]

If you’re a milk buyer who is & has been paying sig below 38ppl for the past months, and with no sign of moving because you have your producers by the balls - don’t patronise by talking of “sustainability, partnerships” & suggesting your milk price is “competitive! #teamdairy

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@RShuffle Just seen this on Facebook Derbyshire Farming page in case it could be any help?

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

Back under moonlight 🌙 #britishsummertime

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@DavidEardl78091 Can see the 83pt doorman in it anyway!

[Fiona Kent-Pearce @fo2727]

@dan_odell_ Pushing the limit of the 90mins but https://t.co/wlVx3RJXOV is unreal 👌

[Oliver Hall @ohallandersons]

Contract diary farming opportunity in the midlands of England. Please get in touch for more information and share with people that could be interested. Thanks.