Farmers and growers met Sarah Russell, MP for Congleton and representatives of Cheshire East Council on Friday 25 September to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the sector.
The meeting was held at the Sutton family’s farm and spiralling costs, extreme weather, the sudden closure of agri-environment scheme the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), animal health and the need for long-term policies that support domestic food production were all put on the table.
As part of a diversification project, the Sutton family has introduced on-site vending machines offering fresh milk, shakes and ice cream made with their own milk, along with a variety of other local farm produce including eggs, cheese, brownies and crisps.
The event formed part of the NFU's wider Back British Farming Day campaign, which celebrates the contribution farmers make to producing high-quality food, supporting rural economies and delivering environmental benefits.
Guests were introduced to the farm's award-winning dairy herd and learned about the business’ innovative robotic milking system that allows the cows to walk into a milking stall whenever they want.
The system offers a range of benefits around herd health, tracking milk yield and quality reducing heavy labour that allows farmers to focus on animal health and farm management.
Councillors and guests also toured the calf and youngstock facilities, gaining a greater understanding of the investment, animal care and management involved in modern dairy farming.
Realities of modern farming
Dairy farmer Andrew Sutton, who hosted the visit and runs the farm business in partnership with his brother Greg and wife Carrie, said: “Having Cheshire East councillors on the farm was a valuable opportunity to show the first-hand realities of modern farming, the challenges, frustrations and pressures that sit behind producing the food we all rely on.
“Food security is one of the biggest risks we face, both locally and nationally and farmers need sensible, practical, consistent support to keep producing food. Whether that’s sensible planning decisions, a fair approach to food imports, or greater consistency in policy, we need to be able to make trusted, long-term decisions with confidence.
“You can’t explain farming challenges to a room full of people, sometimes the best approach is getting them on farm."
The event highlighted how investment and innovation are helping farms adapt and thrive, while underlining the importance of maintaining a strong and sustainable domestic food production sector for the future.
NFU Cheshire County Adviser Helen Wainwright said: “Visits like this provide a valuable opportunity for councillors to hear directly from farmers and see the realities of modern food production.
"Cheshire farmers are proud of the food they produce and the contribution they make to local communities, the rural economy and the environment.
"We want to see government set ambitious targets for homegrown food production and provide farm businesses with the confidence they need to invest, grow and continue producing the food our nation relies on.
"It is valuable for councillors and policymakers to see first-hand how modern farming businesses operate and to hear directly from farmers about the opportunities and challenges facing the sector.”
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