‘Farmers must push political message’

National Farmers' Union president Meurig Raymond during the NFU Conference 2015. Pic: Joe Giddens/PA Wire

Farmers have been urged to make their industry part of the pre-general election conversation at the end of a two-day summit to address the challenges facing agriculture.

The annual National Farmers’ Union conference heard from members of five political parties at The ICC in Birmingham today, with each stating their case for farmers’ votes come May.

Conservative MP and Farming Minister, George Eustice, said the Tories’ agricultural policy focused on growth and defence, with the latter a reference to his Party’s preference to roll out badger culls to combat the spread of bovine tuberculosis.

He also told delegates: “We’ve got further to go with regulations.

“We need to open new markets, including new export markets. We also want to do more to make sure the public are buying British produce that’s grown here.”

Labour MP, Huw Irranca-Davies, said the industry needs a “master plan”, which encompassed food productivity, security and sustainability, and social logistics. Similarly, Liberal Democrat MP Dan Rogerson said a “food plan” was needed to look at food security and sustainability, as well as climate change.

Stuart Agnew, UKIP MP, advocated deregulation of the industry and a new support system for farmers as he reiterated his Party’s intention to take the UK out of the EU, while Plaid Cymru’s Elfyn Llwyd wants the powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator to be tougher.

In his closing remarks, Meurig Raymond, the NFU’s president, said: “We must challenge MPs on how they intend to Back British Farming and it’s up to you good people to drive those messages back into your counties.”