The recent fuel tax crisis brought the desperation felt by many UK farmers into sharp relief. Feeling marginalised as an industry, the farmers have welcomed some of the focus on the countryside and agriculture that has stemmed from the activities of the rural pressure groups.
Farmers insist that their livelihoods are under threat as never before.
But as the following argument aims to show, despite clear evidence of deep problems in agriculture, public support for the farmers still falls far short of the national backing given to the farming lobby in France. Farmers are at breaking point as the countryside is in crisis. Farmers are always the first to moan, even though they caused the problems themselves. I've been reading how little farmers earn. Can't believe nothing's being done to help them.