On 6 October 2021, Geoffrey attended the Torridge NFU Annual General Meeting in Parkham to discuss various issues affecting the farming industry.
Geoffrey, who holds regular discussions with farmers across his constituency, gave a brief outline of the issues impacting on local farming, before opening the floor for a lively discussion. A wide range of topics were discussed, including HGV drivers, labour shortages, the Environmental Land Management Scheme, food prices, bovine TB, food exporting and planning.
Geoffrey said:
"Since becoming the MP for Torridge and West Devon in 2005, farming has been a priority for me, forming, as it does, the bedrock of so many of our communities in this rural area.
"As a result of Brexit and COVID, and the replacement of key farming schemes, such as the Basic Payment Scheme, this is a real moment of transition for the farming industry and, as we move through this period, it is important to listen closely to the real experiences of farming families.
"It is vital that new national farming strategies should be tailor made to our own farming industry and, with this in mind, I am planning to hold a meeting on Dartmoor with the relevant statutory agencies to discuss the Environmental Land Management Scheme, before the end of the year."
