Chris Loder, MP for West Dorset, hosted a summit on the 9th November with the Farming Minister, Mark Spencer at Kingston Maurward College. The local MP was joined by over 40 NFU farmers and South Dorset’s MP, Richard Drax. The Farming Minister took questions on issues affecting Dorset farmers and discussed topics including nutrient neutrality, Sustainable Farming Incentives, and the Groceries Code Adjudicator.
Speaking about the summit, Mr Loder, who is from a farming family, said: “It’s been very productive to have the Farming Minister join us at Kingston Maurward College. The summit has enabled farmers from right across Dorset to put their questions to the Minister, who has been most receptive to their concerns.”
He continued: “In addition, I’ve made my concerns with farming in West Dorset known to the Minister, in particular the issues with a lack of agricultural apprenticeships and land-based education; issues with food supply chains and farmgate prices; and the challenges with nutrient neutrality affecting planning and development. I’ll continue to push for more progress in these areas over the coming months.”
