Environment Secretary Liz Truss called for more people to buy local produce when she toured a Wadebridge farm with North Cornwall Conservative candidate Scott Mann. The Minister was on a tour of Devon and Cornwall to meet with farmers' leaders. She joined Scott at Banbury's Farm near the village of Rumford near Wadebridge.
Father of seven Richard Banbury, who runs the farm with his father Fernley and wife Claire, recently won the Best Commercial Farmer award and the recent Cornwall Farm Business Awards.
Scott said "It was a pleasure to welcome Liz to Cornwall on St Piran's Day. Liz meets with farmers regularly, but having the Secretary of State for the Environment in North Cornwall has allowed us to discuss several issues with her. Today's conversations revolved around Bovine TB, tagging, milk prices and adding value to Cornish produce.”
“I believe we can promote ‘Brand Cornwall’ in the marketplace and make it easier for farmers to sell their quality product to consumers. Farming is vital to the Cornish economy, but at the moment 50 per cent of the food in supermarkets comes from other countries. That has to change."
The Minister also talked about adding more to the UK's list of protected foods, which currently includes Jersey Royal potatoes, Melton Mowbray pork pies and Dorset Blue cheese. She said: "We have 65 protected foods, while France has more than 200. It's a good way to promote and protect local producers. It's great to be on the frontline, talking to award winning farmers like Richard Banbury. It's vital we hear their views. Scott understands how crucial farming is to the economy of North Cornwall.
Richard Banbury's 750 acre mixed farm produces Christmas turkeys, chicken, beef, cereals and dairy. He said: "People should buy locally grown produce. We have some of the best to offer in the world. If it says fresh from Cornwall on the label it sells really well."