NFU farmer members and staff held a round-table discussion with Shadow Defra Minister Dr Neil Hudson and MP for East Grinstead and Uckfield Mims Davies at the show, at Ardingly, West Sussex, on Friday.
Among the issues discussed included the need to protect the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), the government’s flagship support scheme for nature and environmentally friendly farming, the NFU’s Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign, national food security, trade, biosecurity, food standards, planning and water security.
The urgent need to address the shortage of small and medium-sized abattoirs, which play a vital role in the food supply chain, was also discussed.
The meeting was held as part of the NFU’s ongoing lobbying work with politicians from all political parties to deliver a positive future for British farmers and growers.
NFU West Sussex Chair Andrew Strong, who runs a pig farm near Haywards Heath, attended the meeting.
He said: “We had a positive discussion and covered a lot of important issues. It was great to see Dr Neil Hudson and MP Mims Davies attending the show and taking the time to talk with us.
“Farmers are facing some huge challenges and we will continue to keep pressure on the government to reconsider some of these policies and to work with us to give farmers more confidence to invest in the future.
“This will enable us to deliver national food security and to continue to deliver for the economy and for the environment.”
Dr Hudson said: “Food security is national security and it is vital that the farming industry is able to grow and have a positive future. It has been great to engage with the NFU on these issues and we will take this forward and continue to highlight the importance of supporting the farming industry and the countryside.”
Mims Davies said: “I was really pleased to meet with local NFU members for their roundtable at the South of England Show and to hear from them directly on what their first-hand experiences have shown the key issues affecting our hard-working farmers are.
“Our farmers keep food on our plates and work incredibly hard 24/7, 365 days a year and we must support them and back British farmers.”
At the South of England Show, NFU members thanked the public for their ongoing support.
NFU West Sussex Council Representative Caroline Harriott, who farms near Arundel, was a keynote speaker at a drinks reception, where she spoke about the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture in the South East.
Arable farmer Peter Knight, who farms near Guildford, Surrey received the annual South of England Agricultural Society Award of Honour which is given in recognition of work done behind the scenes to support farming.
Mr Knight is NFU Surrey Council Representative, a member of the NFU’s national and regional crops boards and is President of Surrey Young Farmers.
He said: “It was a big surprise - I was never expecting anything like this.
“We are lucky to have several people in the area who put in lots of hours regularly to support people in farming, who don’t think of awards or recognition. It is nice to be recognised and feel appreciated.”
Meanwhile, around 300 Young Farmers’ Club members from across the South East attended the show to promote the organisation, highlight the NFU’s Stop the Family Farm Tax campaign and participate in various competitions.
NFU Redhill branch chair Nellie Budd, a beef farmer from Brockham in Surrey, helped to run the Young Farmers’ Club marquee.
She said: “We need to encourage more youth into farming. The show is a great opportunity for young people to make connections and gain those experiences that will help them in their future farming careers.
“This networking can often make a big impact in shaping young farmers’ futures and the show is a great way of encouraging more young people into this fantastic industry."