I was delighted to welcome the Minister for Food, Farming & Fisheries, Mark Spencer MP to West Oxfordshire recently to meet with local farmers.
Farmers provide our food and our countryside’s future. Over recent months, I have been very aware of challenges currently facing farmers in Oxfordshire with: inflationary pressures, supply-chain vulnerability, alongside uncertainty around new schemes being rolled out by the Government and their ability to access appropriate support.
It was important to meet with the Minister and for local farmers to be given the opportunity to have an open and honest discussion with him about the challenges they are facing and stress the importance of supporting farming businesses in West Oxfordshire and across the UK.
Thank you for taking the time to visit us, Mark. In return, the Minister gave a categorical statement on farming's central importance to Government and country alike and how food production remains critical to UK’s future economy.