conservativerural action

This is the season of agricultural shows so I am all over England visiting many of them.

Last week I was near Malvern for the Three Counties Show but wherever it is the story is similar: farmers who want to produce food for our tables but don’t believe the Government wants them to.

They point to mountains of red-tape, bovine TB out of control and prices which don’t leave much profit if any.

At the same shows there are impressive food halls where our own farmers and processors have developed superb products which show that British food is of the highest quality produced to some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world. The sad fact is that consumers can be deceived into believing they are buying British food when in fact they are not. A good British sausage may in fact contain imported pork.

Everyone I speak to, farmers and consumers, want that to change. Meat and meat products labelled as British must mean that the animal was born, reared and slaughtered here.

At Malvern I was asked to present some of the prizes for livestock, something I love doing. I learned stock-judging as a teenager but how today’s judges distinguish between really high grade cattle, sheep and pigs beats me.

Next week I am off to the Royal Norfolk Show and then the last ever Royal Show the following week. I know what they will all tell me, but I still need to hear it first hand.