Farm Carbon Toolkit (FCT) advisor, Hannah Jones, was delighted to join James Daniel from Precision Grazing and hosts Mike and Sam Roberts at Blable Farm near Wadebridge to welcome Rt Hon Steve Reed MP to the farm today.
The Minister was keen to learn more about innovations that can take place across the agricultural community that can simultaneously improve farm economics, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon in the soil, boost biodiversity, and strengthen business resilience for today’s farmers and future generations. Emphasis was placed on the need to provide transition support for farmers through discussion groups and community networks, such as Lottery-funded Farm Net Zero project.
We discussed the vital role of well-managed integrated ruminant livestock, particularly in pasture-based systems, in building soil health with diverse cropping, alongside practices like minimum tillage, herbal leys, compost application, and grazing strategies such as paddock grazing.
We also explored the urgent need for UK agriculture and horticulture to adapt to the growing impacts of climate change, alongside rising concerns around long-term food security in the face of environmental and geopolitical instability. We emphasised the importance of reliable public funding to support a fair and economically viable transition to planet-friendly farming, particularly in a market that too often fails to pay farmers a fair price.
The Minister was clearly engaged, asking thoughtful and challenging questions throughout. We’re grateful for the opportunity to speak openly with him and his team.
