Get set for a change, farmers are told

That was the message from environmental expert Professor Philip Stott at the South of England Agricultural Society's annual autumn farming conference.

The regular panellist on BBC Radio 4's Home Planet, who was addressing an audience of more than 200 at the South of England Centre, Ardingly, criticised the Government for giving vague information on climate change and lack of guidance to farmers.

"They say there will be a temperature change of between '“2 to +8 degrees Centigrade. How useful is that when planning what crops to change? You will have to make choices about what to do with your own individual farms because no-one is going to tell you," he said.

Prof Stott said farmers had been adapting to climate change for 5,000 years and were best aware of the problems and how to tackle them. "Policies are being made by young geniuses who have absolutely no idea of working on the ground.

"For Defra to suggest that the British public should stop drinking fresh milk and switch to UHT to cut refrigeration emissions is absolute spectacular madness,"he said.

For full story see West Sussex Gazette on November 28