Hexham Mart tomorrow: looking forward to the Northern Farmers Conference with Liz Truss, DEFRA Secretary of State

9.30 tomorrow I will be at the Hexham Mart for the Farmers Conference. Really pleased that Liz Truss, the Norfolk MP and DEFRA secretary of State is coming to speak and take part in a Q&A as part of her visit to the North East trip to Hexham and many other parts of Northumberland. For my part I am not speaking but watching, listening and learning and catching up with many of the locals who I know will be going.

The Norfolk MP will head the line-up of nine farmers and industry experts speaking at the conference under the theme of Which Way Forward?

Conference Chairman Andrew Robinson has said: “We are delighted to welcome the new secretary of state to our conference and very much looking forward to hearing her plans for supporting and developing the farming industry following the latest round of CAP negotiations.”
Also confirmed for the conference are: award-winning farmer Richard Price of Lowther Park Farms, leading share farming exponent John Henderson, dairy farmer and Nuffield Scholar Joe Delves, award-winning poultry farmer Richard Tulip and HSBC head of agriculture Allan Wilkinson.
Now in its fifth year, the Northern Farming Conference aims to give forward thinking farmers the chance to consider how best to progress their business.
The conference details are here: http://www.northernfarmingconference.org.uk/
Not too late to come along tomorrow!

  

Puppy and Kitten Farming petition - Mass commercial production / sale of young pets is wrong and needs reform

I have been contacted by a large number of constituents concerning this Thursday’s Backbench debate in the Commons on the practice of Puppy and Kitten Farming. This debate will discuss the e-petition signed by over 110,000 people, relating to the breeding and sale of young puppies and kittens.

This petition states that puppies and kittens mass produced in horrific “puppy/kitten farms” are separated from their mothers too early, transported long distances, and then sold via pet shops, newspaper adverts, websites and private dealers.

I believe we must do what we can to prevent this. This practice leads to puppies and kittens suffering hardship. I do not support everything that the RSPCA do, but I do note that they assert that as many as 85,000 puppies bought via social media or over the internet die before they reach six months old. I have not studied the evidence in detail but man’s best friend should not be treated this way. Pets become an integral part of any family they belong to: it is terribly unfair to remove them from theirs before they are ready.
I welcome the Government’s commitment to look further at the issue of pet sales over the internet, as well as the guidance that is being provided to people looking to buy a puppy. I urge all my constituents who are interested in purchasing a young dog or cat to research thoroughly the breeders or pet shops beforehand. It is a good idea to choose a dog or cat through the Assured Breeder Scheme, or by adoption from legitimate rescue organisations. You should also be sure to ask ‘where’s the mum’ and check to see how the puppy interacts with the mother to make sure that they have not been separated.

I will try and attend the debate itself on Thursday, but am also juggling other commitments in Westminster; the debate is likely to be between 12 Noon and 2.30pm but Thursdays are always very flexible on timings in the Commons as Urgent Business or Statements have to take precedence. In the meantime I have written to the Minister concerned and will press the government to reform and change this practice.

Owen Patterson Visit

Local farmers will be pleased that Owen is coming to meet and listen to farmer's difficulties here in Northumberland in 3 weeks time:http://www.nebusiness.co.uk/farming-news/farming-news/2013/04/18/spring-brings-tough-challenges-for-farmers-51140-33192622/
Owen is the Secretary of State for Farming and we will be able to have a detailed Q+A with him - details of visit on May 10 in the late afternoon to follow.

Farmers and the Supermarket - an unequal struggle

Good article today by Charlie Brooks http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/7158431/The-countryside-cries-out-for-a-fair-deal.html on the failure of the government to protect farmers and to keep the power of the supermarket in check. Peter Atkinson, and others, including myself have fought a consistent campaign to improve the farmers lot in Hexham, but bear this in mind:
Of every pound spent in a supermarket, only 8p makes it back to the farmer.
Nick Herbert is doing a great job with specific policies to curb the power of supermarkets and promote farmers - 3 examples are easily identified:
- The honest food Labelling Campaign
- The Supermarket Ombudsman
- Encouraging councils to source their food locally
All robust common sense stuff - and farmers approve!

Hexham Summer Tour - Meeting the NFU

Peter and I with Johnny Ball, Annabel the cardboard cow, and the man from the National Park ...

Arrived at Once Brewed to see the NFU roadshow in town with Annabel [A cardboard cow], and some real sheep. Had a good chat to the amazing NFU man Johnny Ball - who agreed that his life on tour promoting farming round Britain [he does a different town or location every day] was like an actor / ageing rock star on tour. Spent a good hour chatting. The disastrous impact of the sheep ID scheme cannot be underestimated.

In the evening we had an amazing Patrons Club Drinks Party in the garden at Haughton Castle - great fun until the midges descended at 9pm. Gave a short speech on what we spend the Patrons money upon and why we need to win, not just here, but in Carlisle, Tynemouth, Stockton South, Jedburgh / Borders and Hartlepool to name a few.