The traditional heart of my constituency is rural, and having grown up on a smallhold farm in Fowlmere, which grew mainly wheat and potatoes, I know how hard it can be.
The UK food and farming industry is worth more than £120 billion to the national economy and employs more than 4 million people. South Cambridgeshire plays a large part in that, and I am extremely proud to support our farming sector. But, in a post-pandemic world that already faced the aftermath of Brexit, many farmers face uncertainties around agricultural grants and trade tariffs. They face the continued threat of rural crime, and I am glad to say we have seen new offences to tackle coursing as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. It is vital that we continue to support farmers in this constituency and bolster our food supply chains, so we can ensure supermarket shelves are kept stocked and the nation is fed. I am very grateful for all that they have done and continue to do.
We need to ensure South Cambridgeshire's farmers are safe, secure, and can compete in an international marketplace. That is why I am currently working to:
- Get clearer guidance on farming subsidies in the post Brexit era
- Founded my Farmers Forum to ensure South Cambridgeshire's farmers have direct access to policymakers
- Delivered tough new deterrents for hare coursers, and introduced a bill to protect brown hares.
- Lobbied ministers making the case that post-Brexit trade deals cannot undercut UK farmers
- Campaigned for nature-friendly farming methods to be recognised by new legislation, giving my maiden speech on the new Agriculture Bill.
For more detail on many of these campaigns, click the icons to the left (below on mobile). See my latest news here.