Talk to MPs about farming issues

FARMERS HAVE been urged to hound prospective MPs about key farming issues on the run up to the General Election.

Barney Holbeche, NFU head of parliamentary affairs, told NFU Council that the election provided an opportunity to “bang the drum” about agriculture and rural affairs.

He was backed by Richard Haddock, NFU livestock board chairman, who said he wanted to see producers quiz candidates about their views on issues such as bovine tuberculosis.

Mike Blacker, sugar board chairman, said he also wanted farmers to go and talk to their MPs about reform of the sugar regime.

The union, in conjunction with British Sugar, had sent a briefing paper to all MPs explaining the situation, he said.

But he hoped that growers would also talk to their MPs so they could explain on a personal level how changes to the sugar regime would affect their businesses, families and communities.

This was likely to have more impact than “reading facts off a glossy piece of paper”, he said.