Farming is an integral part of life in Staffordshire Moorlands and I have always supported local Moorlands farmers, be they dairy, beef, upland hill or other - whatever they may farm.
Food and farming is a bedrock of our economy and environment, generating £110 billion a year and helping shape some of our finest habitats and landscapes. I am pleased that the Government has pledged to match the £3 billion farmers currently receive in support from the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) until 2022. Structural fund projects, including agri-environment schemes, signed before our departure will be honoured for their lifetime.
Ministers have already been engaging extensively with farmers and their representatives on what a new support model should look like. They are committed to securing the best deal for British farmers, and will ensure the sector has a strong voice in the upcoming negotiations.
Leaving the EU gives us a new opportunity for UK agriculture. We will be able to design policies for our agriculture industry, and our food and farming industry, that suit the United Kingdom, our countryside and our environment, and that can provide better value for the taxpayer.