Following the success of last year’s farming suppers, Trudy Harrison MP for Copeland and former Defra Minister has kicked off 2024 by holding the first farming supper.

Opening the series at The Byre Café in Bootle, over 40 farmers joined with representatives from Natural England, Forestry Commission, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), Gibbons Accountants and Cumbria Police.

As they updated farm business owners about the recent payment uplifts and changes to subsidies, emerging themes, and latest insights.

Recognising the enormous contribution that farmers bring to the Cumbrian economy, Trudy thanked farmers for all that they do and acknowledged there was a lot to keep up with as farm policy transitions away from area-based payments to environmental stewardship.

She saying: “I hold these sessions to bring farmers closer to the people who are at the forefront of the systems, very much a two-way information exchange.”

She went on to say: “Feeding the nation efficiently, sustainably and for your businesses, most profitably is the aim.

Farming is adapting right around the world. With increased costs, a changing climate, the constant threats of pests and diseases, and global geo-political instability at the forefront of our minds, it is my priority to ensure farmers in Copeland have the most up to date information and support locally.”

The panel explained the recent uplifts announced at the Oxford Farming Conference earlier in January.

Peter Fox, of the Forestry Commission gave an update on agro-forestry scheme’s increased payments available to farmers including sheep farmers and discussed new hedgerow uplifts.

While Cumbria Police were also in attendance, providing an insight into the emerging sophistication of theft, and how best to protect equipment.

As Natural England and RPA, the two Government agencies working most closely with farmers exchanged the latest trends and uplifts to the Countryside Stewardship and Sustainable Farming Incentives, all organisations committed to doing everything possible to assist farmers during the transition.

These farm policy information suppers follow the success of last year’s events where over two hundred farmers participated.

The sessions are informal, friendly, and last for around two hours and as Trudy commented: “they provide the most valuable opportunity for us all to listen locally and then influence nationally, nothing beats hearing directly from my own farmers, who are the real experts in their fields.”

There are two further sessions planned with next session to be held on February 9, in Braithwaite, and then one on February 23, in Gosforth, both from 7.30pm.