Richard has welcomed new investment and support for local farmers set out at the UK Farm to Fork Summit this week.
Representatives from the whole food supply chain came together at 10 Downing Street for the summit to identify further opportunities to boost growth, drive innovation and improve sustainability. The summit fulfils a commitment made by the Prime Minister last summer.
Richard Fuller MP said:
North East Bedfordshire farmers work hard around the clock to keep great quality food on our plates, so it’s good to see the Prime Minister hosting this important summit today.
Our farmers are the engine of our rural economy, bringing jobs and opportunity to the local area and I therefore welcome the new investment and support announced at the Form to Fark Summit.
Ahead of the Summit, government confirmed a range of further new measures to help strengthen the long-term resilience and sustainability of the sector. These included:
- A new framework for trade negotiations: putting farmers’ interests at the heart of trade policy, committing to protect the UK’s high food and welfare standards and prioritise new export opportunities.
- £5.6 million additional investment to boost exports of great British food around the world: increasing global trade shows and missions, expanding the successful GREAT food and drink campaign, extending the Seafood Exports Package, and providing a bespoke export fund for the dairy sector
- £30 million investment to build on the new Genetic Technology Act: driving forward the use of precision breeding technologies and convening a working group to help produce from farms to the shelves.
- Using new powers to make sure farmers get a fair price for their produce in the egg and horticulture sectors: Following progress in the reviews of the dairy and pig supply chains utilising powers in the Agriculture Act, the next reviews will take place in the egg and horticulture sectors
- Confirming the future of support for horticulture: Confirming we will improve future support for horticulture by replacing the retained EU Fruit and Vegetable Producer Organisation Scheme when it closes in 2026 with an expanded offer as part of our new farming payment schemes.
More information about the Summit's outcomes can be read here.
