Alistair McConnachie on SUBSIDIES TO PUT THE CULTURE BACK INTO AGRICULTURE

Alistair McConnachie published Sovereignty from July 1999 to its 120th consecutive monthly issue in June 2009, and he continues to maintain this website.
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SUBSIDIES TO PUT THE CULTURE BACK INTO AGRICULTURE

The following letter by Alistair McConnachie was sent to The Guardian on 17 July 2002, in response to an article by Charlotte Denny. It was not published.

Sir: It is hardly progressive for Charlotte Denny (Old McDonald had a subsidy, July 17) to advocate the abolition of farming subsidies in Britain when the inevitable consequences, under present global trading circumstances, would put large numbers of smaller farmers out of business and centralise the ownership of land in fewer hands.

The issue should not be the abolition of farming subsidies per se, but rather how much, to whom and for what over-riding purpose are financial support mechanisms to be made available.

While taxpayers may not be keen to fund subsidies intended to prop up the present ailing system, they may well support financial mechanisms intended to put the culture back into agriculture.

For example, subsidies intended to encourage young farmers, organic and extensive methods, and localised distribution networks could be combined with legislation intended to facilitate the aims of the wider distribution and ownership of land, increased smallholding, and food sovereignty for the country.

These policies would have wide appeal, but would continue to need financial support mechanisms for their attainment, at least in the short term.

Alistair McConnachie