It was a huge pleasure to welcome the Farming Minister Mark Spencer to the Garden of England last week to meet some of our local farmers.
Fruit and farming are a big part of our heritage, and we’re lucky to have some of the best producers in the country on our doorstep - including our host for the day, Alastair Brooks of B R Brooks and Sons in Graveney.
They put great British food on people’s plates across the country, and are so important to our local economy. But right now they're facing serious challenges, including higher costs and a long-term workforce.
I've been working hard up in Westminster on their behalf, getting those concerns to ministers and talking about solutions - but there's no one better to make that point than growers themselves.
That’s why I was so pleased to give them this chance to talk to the minister. We had more than 20 farmers from the local area attend, specialising in crops from fruit to cereals, and it was such a useful meeting. I'm so glad that Mark made the time to come down, and I'm sure the farmers were too.
By putting our heads together we can tackle these issues, and keep British farming going strong.
