Farmers' plea for a 'future' from next government

Phil Lawton, 26, runs a dairy farm near Ashbourne

A dairy farmer fears agriculture could decline like the steel industry without more support from the next government.

Phil Lawton and his parents keep 130 milking cows near Ashbourne in Derbyshire.

Mr Lawton, 26, says cuts in subsidies and shrinking profits have collided with a labour shortage and pressure from climate change.

He wants minimum prices to be guaranteed and more young people to be encouraged into jobs in agriculture.

Mr Lawton's family has been farming at Bradley for several generations, but now he is questioning whether he has a future in the industry.

"It's scary to say that. I love what I do. I love my cows. I love my job," he said.

He says it is "absolutely essential" the next government prioritises British farming.

"We feel like a forgotten industry. I want to hear the Government have my back," he added.

'We need stability'

Mr Lawton wants all political parties to commit to a minimum price for farmers' milk, and products such as lamb and beef.

He says they are being squeezed by big supermarkets because of their monopoly on the UK food industry.

"We are getting just under 40 pence a litre," he added.

"Production costs have gone up, and that tanker can go down the drive and (milk) can be sold at different prices.

"We need a limit of 50 pence. It's got to be written in stone because we are absolutely at the mercy of a fluctuating market.

"The big thing they can offer that will get my vote is just stability.

"We want to know that I've got a future in agriculture and farming and the only way they can do that is putting forward a financial plan to produce food."

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Mr Lawton says financial pressures have been compounded this year by the wettest spring he has ever seen.

He said: "We are at the mercy of climate change, but if the government can't help us it's a sad outlook."

Mr Lawton has also lost farming subsidies after support was shifted to the environment.

"You have got to be able to look after the environment but also produce food".

"You have got to find that natural balance and the next government has got to see that".

Calving season has just begun at Mr Lawton's farm

Mr Lawton says he supported Brexit but he would vote against it now.

"We didn't realise a lot of farmers in the UK were dependent on EU subsidies and suddenly they were gone.

"With Brexit, we have a massive labour shortage in agriculture. We were looking for a relief milker and it's been a real struggle.

"The situation is really really bad. We need to encourage more young people to get into agriculture."

Alistair Tipping, 24, wants more controls on meat imports

His friend, Alistair Tipping, has a beef and arable farm in Dalbury Lees, near Derby.

Mr Tipping, 24, wants the next government to stop "unnecessary imports" of meat and to make sure any products from overseas meet UK welfare standards.

He said: "If we don't have the next generation in farming, we don't have food.

"People will go hungry. It's as simple as that."