The potential disposal of Cornwall Council's agricultural estate has sparked considerable unease amongst local farmers and activists.
The authority resolved last week to examine the prospects for its 10,800-acre holding.
Cornwall Gateway CIC has subsequently published an open letter to Cornwall Council voicing grave reservations about the possibility the authority might dispose of its agricultural properties.
The council's prospective action has generated significant anxiety amongst local farmers and activists, who regard it as a temporary financial remedy with enduring implications for food security, public health and rural employment.
"Farms are not just assets on a balance sheet," said Joy Bassett, director of the CIC. "They are the foundation of our food system and a vital part of Cornwall's resilience. Selling them off might ease budget pressures now but at what cost in ten or 20 years?".
"As campaigners working across Cornwall's food and farming community, we believe it's time to come together around a shared vision, one that protects land, livelihoods and our long-term food security."
It is understood that Cornwall Council could reduce its £1.2bn debt through disposing of its agricultural estate – although a sell-off has not yet been agreed.
Following extensive deliberations by its sustainable growth scrutiny committee, councillors approved an investigation into the estate's future, encompassing 10,800 acres of land and 81 farms.
The farms estate represents the council's largest single land holding, encompassing 1,600 acres situated between Liskeard and Blunts village, approximately 1,000 acres stretching from Mitchell to Trerice in Newquay, whilst the remaining portions are scattered throughout Cornwall.
A scrutiny committee report indicated potential alternative uses for the agricultural land, encompassing educational facilities, residential developments and solar energy installations.
Cornwall Gateway CIC has demanded a moratorium on disposal proposals and pressed the council to collaborate with interested parties in identifying more strategic approaches.
In correspondence addressed to Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Leigh Frost, the organisation suggests partnership working to examine practical alternatives including collective processing facilities, reduced supply chains and environmentally sustainable land management approaches.
"We're not just raising the alarm, we are offering a plan," said Mrs Bassett. "But that plan depends on keeping the land in public hands and working with the people who know how to care for it."
The correspondence has been distributed to Cornwall's six MPs and relevant Whitehall departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Department of Health and Social Care.
Agricultural producers throughout the county have voiced similar apprehensions, highlighting increasing regulatory pressures, unaffordable environmental compliance costs and insufficient practical assistance.
Cornwall Gateway CIC is organising an event in October to unite growers, farmers and food system stakeholders to strategise the next steps for regional food resilience.
