It was lovely to visit the Cattle Market in Leek this morning to talk to our great local farmers who do so much for the local economy.
Brexit was the main topic of discussion and whilst I understand there are some concerns, we are replacing the restrictive rules of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, freeing farmers to seize the opportunities offered by Brexit.
We are introducing an ambitious new environmental land management scheme which will allow us to reward the farmers and land managers who protect our environment. This will be based on the principle of ‘public money for public goods’ and will support our ambition to protect the natural environment, improve animal welfare and help farmers become more successful, more competitive and more sustainable.
We have created a stronger future for farming with new markets for British farming products opening across the world, for example:
- Markets for British beef and lamb worth £127m over 5 years have been opened in Japan
- In 2018, China lifted the ban on British beef worth £250m in the first 5 years, which had been in place since 1996
We have launched an independent review, led by Henry Dimbleby, looking at the entire food chain, from field to fork. This includes production, marketing, processing, sale and purchase of food (for consumption in the home and out of it). It will also look at the consumer practices, resources and institutions involved in these processes. The review will publish its findings in summer 2020.