Farming Minister, Victoria Prentis MP and I met with a diverse group of local farmers this week to discuss a range of concerns including the new payment framework. The meeting was held at Sally & John Banks’ dairy farm in Coxwold, York and was coordinated by NFU representative, Laurie Norris. The visit also involved a tour of the site from Sally and John, who run a mixed family farm milking around 800 cows for Arla.
The visit was extremely worthwhile as it’s so important to hear the voices of farmers who are at the core of communities as well as being critical to the economy and the environment. I’m pleased Minister Prentis and I were able to cover a range of topics with Sally and John including labour challenges, sustainability, animal welfare, climate change, non-stun slaughter, new EA rules on slurry and trade deals.
During the tour of the farm, Minister Prentis and I were able to understand the approach to herd health and how funding through the Farming Investment Fund can achieve quick wins. The visit also covered upcoming legislation affecting agriculture such as the Clear Air Strategy, which aims to shape future agriculture policy around financial rewards and incentives to help farmers reduce their ammonia emissions. In addition, the Dimbleby independent review into the UK’s food system was covered, which showed the vital role our food system plays in all our lives and will be responded to by the Government in the next six months.
