Today, David Reed MP welcomed Robbie Moore MP, the Shadow Minister for Food, Farming and the Environment, to East Devon for a packed day of discussion and engagement with local farmers.
The day began with a Farming Roundtable at Darts Farm in Topsham, organised in partnership with the National Farmers’ Union (NFU). The event brought together farmers from across the constituency to raise concerns directly with the Shadow Minister and share their experiences of working within an increasingly challenging agricultural environment.
Speaking after the meeting, David said:
It was great to bring Robbie Moore to East Devon so he could hear first-hand about the pressures our farmers are facing. Whether it’s uncertainty over Government funding, the phasing out of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), or concerns around new inheritance tax proposals that would remove Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), it’s clear that rural communities are being left behind by this Labour Government.
In the afternoon, David and Robbie visited Martinsfield Farm , where they were hosted by Ed and Heather Rhodes. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to see a working farm in action and hear more about the day-to-day impact of Government decisions on rural businesses and food production.
David added:
“Since I was elected, I’ve held regular roundtables with farmers and visited farms right across the constituency. I’m determined to keep standing up for our farmers and ensuring their voices are heard loud and clear in Westminster. The farming community is the beating heart of East Devon’s rural economy – and it deserves better.”
David has been vocal in Parliament about the need for clarity and long-term support for farming, especially following the withdrawal of key SFI options and proposed changes to tax relief on agricultural land and assets. He has also repeatedly invited the current Labour Farming Minister to Devon to engage with local farmers – an invitation that has been ignored.
