SUPPORT for British farmers was pledged by new West Somerset and Exmoor MP Rachel Gilmour on Wednesday (September 11).

Wednesday was the National Farmers’ Union’s (NFU) ninth annual ‘Back British Farmers Day’ and Mrs Gilmour pledged she would be a voice for farmers and rural communities across the constituency, fighting for a fair deal for them.

Mrs Gilmour said: “Farmers were taken for granted so badly under the last Conservative Government.

“Now, as a Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton and Minehead I will stand up for our farmers and rural communities.

“The previous Government, through incompetence and indifference, failed to support farmers in our community.

“The new Government has to do the right thing and provide farmers with the fair deal they deserve.

“Liberal Democrats back British farmers.

“At the General Election, we called for a £1 billion a year funding boost for our farmers and we will keep holding the new Government to account.”

The party’s plan to back British farmers included:

  • Accelerating the rollout of the new environmental land management schemes, properly funding it with an extra £1 billion a year

  • Renegotiating ‘botched’ Australian and New Zealand trade deals and ensuring high animal welfare and environmental standards of British farmers were not undercut

  • Negotiating comprehensive veterinary and plant health agreements with the EU to allow British farmers to trade with their European neighbours with minimal need for checks

The NFU uses the day to ask politicians, retailers, food processers, manufacturers, and the public to celebrate and champion British agriculture.