MP’s farm visit – to milk cities’ rural links

A WEST Yorkshire MP paid a visit to a working farm outside of the city at the weekend as part of a new bid to connect urban politicians with the agricultural industry.

Leeds MP Alec Shelbrooke was down on the farm to experience milking a herd of cows in a robotic milking parlour first-hand and to help feed livestock.

The visit of the Conservative MP for Elmet and Rothwell to TD Goodall dairy farm near Scarcroft came as part of a new campaign organised by the North-East and Yorkshire branch of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).

The ‘Festive Farm Feed-Up’ initiative is the brainchild of Scarborough farmer and former NFU county chairman Will Terry. It sees members of Parliament get invited to find out more about farming in their local areas.

A number of other MPs across Yorkshire have requested similar farm visits to be arranged in the new year.

The NFU said: “With all MPs soon having a role to play in developing a future domestic agriculture policy, the NFU is keen to build closer links with those that traditionally have not had farming on their radar.

“This process began with the NFU’s national Back British Farming Day activity in the House of Commons in September.”

As part of the Commons activity, MPs were asked to wear Back British Farming wheat pin badges, supplied by the NFU, during Prime Minister’s Questions.