Arundel and South Downs MP, Andrew Griffith, met local farmers at a roundtable meeting at Orfold Farm in Wisborough Green on Friday afternoon (24th June). The well attended meeting attracted farmers from Petworth, Thakeham, Sullington, Duncton, Bury, Wiston and Bignor who were all keen to discuss rural issues.
The meeting came hot on the heels of the publication of the National Food Strategy and at a time when the Government is particularly focussed on the cost of food to households across the country.
The MP whose constituency is the most rural in West Sussex, spoke about wide-ranging issues which included better labelling of locally-produced food, new rules to make schools, hospitals and prisons ‘Buy British’, and changes to farm support payments to help the cash flow of farmers.
Andrew also discussed the ways in which landowners can support the provision of small scale developments of affordable homes for local people.
Fly-tipping was another topic and something which affects many farmers. Andrew shared details of Defra’s plans to tackle the scourge of illegally dumped waste. This includes removing fees for households disposing of DIY waste at council-run recycling centres, and grants to stake out fly-tipping hotspots. The action was welcomed by the farmers who are often the ones impacted by the mess and the cost of clearing up.
Andrew Griffith said:
“There’s never been a more important time to show support for our farmers and the countryside. The large turnout at this meeting showed the level of interest in how we secure supplies of British food and protect rural parts of Sussex. We had a wide ranging discussion that covered action on fly-tipping or trespass to buying British and helping our food producers export. I am also grateful to local farmers, the Mitchell family, for kindly hosting this meeting.”
Notes:
- Photographs attached: Andrew addressing Arundel and South Downs farmers at his third roundtable event in the last 12 months, at Orfold Farm in Wisborough Green.
- Farming has an important role in shaping the countryside. More than 80 per cent of the South East is classified as rural, and NFU members manage around a fifth of the land in the Arundel and South Downs constituency, employing well over 2,000 people.
- To read more about the Government’s Food Strategy see Government food strategy - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
