Eddisbury News

Stephen O’Brien MP discusses Conservative proposals for the rural economy with local farmers & NFU officials at Beeston market

Local MP backs Conservative pledges on Supermarket Ombudsman & controlling Bovine TB

Eddisbury MP Stephen O’Brien (Shadow Health Minister), paid a special visit to Beeston Market, Near Tarporley on Friday 26 February, when he met with local farmers and NFU representatives from across Cheshire to discuss a range of farming issues and Conservative proposals to usher in a ‘New Age of Agriculture’ if returned to Government.

Farmers visiting and leaving the market joined the Eddisbury MP for a sit down discussion on the issues and proposals with Adam Briggs the NFU’s Senior Policy Advisor, Rob Ford (NFU Vice County Chairman), Louise Young (Nantwich NFU), Joe Prince (Chester NFU), John Oaks (Winsford NFU). The debate was joined by a large number of farmers who offered their views on local farming concerns.

Stephen O’Brien discussed the dire state of the dairy industry and the need for a Supermarket Ombudsman to ensure that farmers and other suppliers receive a fair deal through the supply chain. Other issues of concern included the continuing credit crunch for those working in the rural economy, rising feed costs, the need to control TB in cattle and the huge amounts of time spent on paperwork and red tape

Stephen O’Brien said: “I was delighted to be able to meet again with local farmers and NFU representatives from across Cheshire to discuss the challenges facing the rural economy and Conservative plans to re-invigorate the rural economy and usher in a ‘New Age of Agriculture’.

“Urgent action is needed to tackle Labour’s rural recession. The credit crunch in the rural economy is continuing to have a massive impact on local businesses and too many of our farmers are still finding it difficult to access finance for investment.

“Many more are receiving a raw deal on their current banking arrangements. The Government needs to get a grip of the banks in which the taxpayer is a majority shareholder. Instead of paying massive bonuses with our money, it should be used to increase the availability of credit for the rural businesses which provide over 440,000 jobs across Eddisbury, Cheshire and Britain.

“Since 1997 British farmers have been treated as dispensable and we have become increasingly dependent on imports of meat, dairy produce and vegetables which we can produce ourselves.

“It is a nonsense that we are not totally self-sufficient when the best dairy producers in the world are here on our doorstep in Cheshire. Falls in domestic production not only weaken our food security, but also threaten the viability of our rural communities here in Eddisbury, Cheshire and the rest of Britain. Reversing this damaging trend requires a new approach. Increasing production must become a strategic priority.

“Equally, Conservatives will take early action to tackle the menace of Bovine TB and its massive cost to both farmers and taxpayers alike.

“Conservatives have set out five priorities to develop a thriving rural economy:

• Promoting fair competition – by ensuring honest country of origin food labelling and a supermarket ombudsman to enforce a code of practice to ensure fair treatment of suppliers.

• Reducing the burden of regulation – with fewer on-farm inspections, greater emphasis on voluntary schemes for self-regulation, proper cost-benefit analysis of EU rules and a focus on outcomes, not processes.

• A Common Agricultural Policy which provides long term stability – with a reformed regime post-2013 which sees less support linked to production and a shift of resources across the EU to the rural development programme, to the benefit of the environment, British farmers and the taxpayer.

• Taking effective action on animal health and welfare – with an animal health strategy that protects the industry and consumers and promotes our high animal welfare standards, including working at an international level to include production standards in WTO negotiations.

• Enabling increased production whilst protecting the environment – with a package of measures to raise production sustainably and boost our science base by prioritising agricultural R&D within Defra’s budget.

“We will also introduce two new policies to protect the best farmland and fundamentally reform the Rural Payments Agency.

“Farming has a critical role in Britain’s future. As the provider of the majority of our food and the manager of 70 per cent of our landscape, the industry needs to be able to look forward to a rewarding future under a Conservative Government which wants it to succeed and believes that farming really does matter.”

The NFU’s Senior Policy Advisor, Adam Briggs said: “We had a very good meeting with Stephen and it was a great opportunity for farmers and local NFU representatives to raise the issues they are concerned about, including how the current economic climate is affecting the rural economy in Eddisbury and Cheshire.

“We also engaged in a useful discussion about the Conservative manifesto for farming, including the thorny issue of TB. I welcome the assurance that early action will be taken to tackle all vectors of the disease. All in all I think the meeting was very positive and we look forward to Stephen’s continued support on agricultural issues”.