Organised by Ian Duncan MEP (Scotland, Conservative), Mr Raymond will emphasise the need for intelligent European policy which can support rural sectors in contributing to the wider UK economy, ensuring jobs and prosperity in rural areas.
Central to this is the need for high-speed rural broadband which is hampering farmers across the UK – one of the NFU’s key manifesto asks in the recent general election.
In his speech to the European Conservative and Reformist working party on rural life, chaired by Dr Duncan, Mr Raymond will reiterate the need to make improvements to the Common Agricultural Policy rules if farmers are to be able to cope with rising market volatility.
Mr Raymond will also use the speech to remind MEPs of the need to ensure science is at the heart of European policy-making, one of the key principles of the Back British Farming EU pledge which MEPs signed in 2014.