The $30 million gamble on solar farms

Minette Batters, former president of the National Farmers' Union, has sounded the alarm on the UK government's relaaxed planning rules for solar farms,warning they threaten the nation's food security. The rules, which have been relaxed to the point where judicial reviews are no longer permitted on 'all but human rigts grounds,' have paved the way for the installation of 110,640 solar panels across 14 fields in County Durham.

The solar farm expansion has been met with widespread criticism from residents and farmers alike, who argue that the prime agricultural land being used for the solar farms is desperately needed for food production. batters, who served as president of the NFU from 2018 to 2024, has spoken out against the government's plans, citing the need for the nation to prioritize its food security.

Agricultural land at risk

The Sunnica Energy Farm on the Suffolk-Cambridgeshire border, which received planning approval in 2024, will devour 2,500 acres of prime agricultural land, with half of that land being taken out of service. batters has argued that this is 'nonsensical' and symptomatic of the government's view of farmers, which she claims is 'something I saw time and again as President of the National Farmers' Union.'

The solar farm expansion has been met with widespread criticism from residents and farmers alike, who argue that the prime agricultural land being used for the solar farms is desperately needed for food production. Batters has spoken out against the government's plans, citing the need for the nation to prioritize its food security.

Red tape and bureaucratic nightmares

Farmers have long complained about the red tape and bureaucratic nightmares they face when trying to build reservoirs on their land. Batters has spoken out about the 'horror stories' of farmers spending up to five years battling through red tape to try to get permission to build a reservoir, only to be turned down at the last hurdle.

The distressing thing is that farmers have much to offer a community, Batters has argued. She has pointed to the example of a cheesemaker in the South West who is exporting green biogas to power more than 6,000 local houses. Farming is a win-win for us all, she has argued, providing affordable food, fuel, fibre, water and energy while maintaining the patchwork quilt countryside we all adore.

Food secuity at risk

The UK's food security is at risk, Batters has warned, with the nation producing less than 65 per cent of food bought domestically, down from 78 per cent in 1984. Costs for farmers are expected to be over 30 per cent higher next year than five years ago, and the £2.4billion farming budget for England has all but flatlined since 2007.

Batters has argued that the government needs to work with farmers, not tie their hands behind their backs. With 70 million people to feed, the nation's food security should be taken every bit as seriously as our defence needs, she has said.