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Respect policies Rural Affairs
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All materials published and promoted by L Smith, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU
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Our rural communities face a crisis. Small farmers,small businesses and other rural workers are squeezed by the big agricultural businesses and the increasing power of the
supermarkets. EU agricultural subsidies benefit the big agricultural producers and the big landowners the most. The closure of the various marketing boards deregulated the industry and took away some guaranteed income from the small producers.
The monopoly position of the supermarkets allows them to dictate production and prices, driving small producers out of business while boosting the profits of the big producers. Often this leads to sweated labour, with minimal rates of pay.
We stand for decent rates of pay for all farm labourers and other rural workers.
Respect believes that the countryside is a precious resource that belongs to us all. We want a policy that ensures a diverse, sustainable and accessible rural landscape, which can in turn support vibrant rural communities.
Respect calls for decent public services in the countryside including adequate public transport. We oppose the closure of rural post offices. The Countryside Alliance,
which is led and financed by the rich, has nothing to offer small farmers, farm workers and other low paid rural workers, or the rural unemployed. Respect is committed to a new approach to the countryside and those who live and work in it.
RESPECT CALLS FOR:
> Investment in the infrastructure of rural communities: healthcare, education, leisure facilities and environmental development.
> Regulating the supermarkets to ensure that food production and food prices are in the interests of all, not the large farmers and businesses.
> Secure rights of tenure for small farmers and small businesses at affordable rents.
> Provision of finance at low interest rates for small businesses and small farmers.
> Grants for small farmers to switch to organic farming.
> Incentives for small farmers to form co-operatives to reduce costs.
> Re-establishing the marketing boards.
> Grants and incentives for rural communities to undertake environmental protection.
> Greatly improved rural public bus and rail transport at affordable fares.
> Enhanced council tax on second homes, and policies to ensure that people can afford to live in their local area.
> Improved health and education facilities for rural communities.
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