Momentum urged to press home farming's Brexit needs

Westminster Palace was the focus of the farming lobby on Wednesday where three Massey Ferguson tractors and farm produce was displayed to catch MPs’ attention and encourage them to sign the NFU’s Back British Farming pledge.

Yorkshire politicians who signed up included Nigel Adams, Kevin Hollinrake, Rachael Maskell, Julian Sturdy, Graham Stuart, Jason McCartney and Anne McIntosh.

All 649 MPs were sent British wheat lapel badges by the NFU to wear during Prime Minister’s Questions and plenty obliged.

Among the farmers from the region who travelled to London to support the day were North Yorkshire dairy farmer Paul Tompkins, the NFU’s West Riding chairman Peter Trickett, East Yorkshire brewer and arable operator Jonathan Hodgson and Goole-based vegetable grower Guy Poskitt.

Mr Poskitt told The Yorkshire Post: “An awful lot of MPs came across and saw us and most of them understand what we need post-Brexit, particularly in terms of immigration.”

The horticulture sector for one is keen to secure seasonal supplies of immigrant labour, which it has relied on at harvest time.

Mr Poskitt added: “We have got to keep the awareness going. There has never been a greater opportunity to work to re-steer agricultural policy. It’s important at the moment to keep banging the drum of our Brexit needs.”