Farron meets new NFU President

South Lakes MP and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming, Tim Farron, met with new NFU President Meurig Raymond in Parliament on Tuesday.

At their meeting they discussed funding for upland farming in the aftermath of CAP reforms. They also spoke about the ongoing 'beef crisis' - Tim has pledged his support and will lobby ministers to try and halt the farmgate price crash currently affecting the industry.

Currently a combination of high UK cattle supply, depressed domestic demand and higher imports are hitting producers incredibly hard. Tim is calling for more help to be given by Defra to boost exports of all agricultural goods and specifically in terms of beef, Tim asked for additional processing charges to be scrapped as they are a large extra cost to farmers.

Tim said: "It was great to meet Meurig. I hope to have as close a working relationship with him as I had with Peter Kendall. I will keep working with the NFU to make sure farming and rural issues are raised with ministers at every opportunity.

"We spent a large chunk of our discussions on the ongoing beef crisis. I have pledged my support and will do everything I can to press for as much help and support as needed. We must do all we can to sustain a profitable British beef industry for the future."