Westminster Life: Backing British farmers

Nowhere is this more evident than in our farming sector, which not only feeds us but also protects our countryside and drives the local economy.

I’m taking part in the National Farming Union’s Food and Farming Fellowship Scheme, which takes MPs to farms around the country to see first-hand the work our farmers are doing and discuss how we can support British farming.

Last Friday, we visited Griffiths Family Farms – a major group of poultry farms based in the North West – to talk about the challenges and opportunities in the poultry sector.

The commitment to welfare and sustainability was very clear – I was particularly impressed to hear about their strategies to avoid the overuse of antibiotics in their practices by using stronger disease prevention strategies, including vaccinations.

In our region, many of us have close ties to farming, whether through our work, family, or the food we enjoy on our plates. We know how much effort goes into producing that food and the pressures farmers face - from rising costs to increased losses from flooding and difficult weather conditions.

That’s why the Labour Government have put in place the biggest ever budget to support farming - £5 billion over two years – including £60 million earmarked to support farmers impacted by flooding. Farms have become much less profitable over recent years, which underlies so many of the issues they now face – and we need to address that fundamental problem.

One of the biggest issues farmers raise with me is that of unfair competition with imports that don’t meet the same welfare or environmental standards.

When we allow the import of crops that have been grown abroad more cheaply using damaging pesticides and other methods which we rightly don’t accept in our own country, it undermines our farmers significantly.

The same is true when we allow animal products to be imported that come from animals being reared under much lower welfare standards overseas.

Some of the rushed-through trade deals overseen by the previous government have made this problem far worse in recent years. That’s why I was proud to host Animal Policy International in Parliament recently to support their campaign for a ban on low-welfare imports.

It’s not fair to allow products into the UK that don’t meet the standards we ask of our own farmers. Doing so risks undermining their livelihoods and the integrity of the food on our shelves.

My visit last Friday also reminded me how important it is that we support local farmers. When we buy British, we’re not just choosing quality food; we’re investing in the jobs, traditions, and innovations that keep our communities strong.

I’ll keep listening to our farmers and the people of North West Cambridgeshire to make sure your voices are heard in Westminster. Together, we can build a future where British farming thrives, and we all benefit from its success.