Call goes out for better rewards for Sussex farmers

It came this week at a meeting of farmers in Cowfold addressed by Liberal Democrat national spokesman Stuart Roberts who is a former deputy president of the National Farmers Union.

He also spoke out about farmers having to make a choice between producing food or delivering for the environment. “This is a false choice and we must support UK farmers to deliver both these outcomes in harmony,” he said.

"Our overriding policy objective to support a progressive, forward looking agriculture sector that can produce affordable, nutritious food and at the same time deliver the environmental outcomes that are needed from the countryside.”

One of the issues discussed was the challenges of fairness in food supply chains. “I have always been clear that you can’t write a farming policy in isolation and as such I have always been clear that we must have a combined food and farming policy,” he said. “For too long we have not prioritised the importance of food production in this country.

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“Our farmers produce some of the most sustainable food in the world and it is vital we support them in future. It is critical that we properly address fairness in the supply chain to ensure our food producers are better rewarded for the risks they carry on behalf of the entire food system.”

The meeting was led by Horsham Lib Dem party candidate John Milne.