HUW JOINS LOCAL FARMERS FOR BREAKFAST MEETING
Huw Merriman, MP for Bexhill and Battle, met the local branch of the National Farmers Union and local farmers for an early morning meeting on rural issues at Tottingworth Farm Shop in Broad Oak last Friday.
At the regular meeting organised by the NFU and Mr Merriman, local farmers have the opportunity to discuss issues that affect them with their MP. These matters are then brought to Parliament or Whitehall to bring about change. Top items on the agenda this month were rural crime, local planning policy, the use of pesticides, the future for farming outside the EU and protection for pollinators.
Speaking after the meeting, Huw said “Over 80 percent of the Bexhill and Battle constituency is rural, therefore local farmers are vital to our local economy. It is also important to remember that our beautiful countryside is a living landscape which requires careful management. Our farmers, who really understand the land, are excellent custodians of the rural environment. As an MP representing a large rural constituency, these regular meetings are essential for me to hear from farmers first-hand their concerns and priorities. I will be taking up a number of the issues raised at our meeting with local organisations, Whitehall and within Parliament.”
George Ashby, Group Secretary for the Battle Branch of the NFU said “Our farmers and growers had a constructive dialogue with Huw Merriman MP on matters ranging from rural crime, such as livestock worrying, bovine TB and the future of farming after Brexit. The NFU wants to see an ambitious free trade agreement ensuring frictionless tariff-free trade and low non-tariff barriers. NFU members were delighted that the MP has agreed to assist their industry’s case on a number of issues.”