On Friday 19 April, Karen, together with Philip Bradbourn, MEP for the West Midlands, spent time listening to NFU members about the issues faced by farmers in Staffordshire Moorlands. High on the agenda was reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, or CAP, which doesn't always work in the interests of British farmers. But there was good news for Karen to tell here, because the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Owen Paterson, has managed to secure a concession that will allow 'greening' measures (designed to bring environmental benefits) to be determined at a national, rather than European, level. This will give British Ministers much more control over our agricultural policy than would have been the case otherwise.
Other topics up for discussion were milk prices, which hit the headlines last year when the NFU organised a protest in London, food labelling and help for new entrants into farming. Karen was pleased to be able to tell the farmers about the Government's commitment to introducing proper food labelling, which tells consumers exactly where their food comes from, and about the action Ministers are taking to give food producers and processors more power in their commercial relationships with big supermarkets.
Karen is pictured with Philip Bradbourn MEP (at right of picture) with Staffordshire Farmers and NFU Representatives.