After visiting farms owned by Staffordshire County Council, Jeremy Lefroy has urged the Council’s cabinet to take decisions for the long-term.

“When I spoke with several tenants, they made three major points. Firstly, they appreciated the good service provided by the County’s farm estate office over the years. Secondly, they recognised that there needs to be some reorganisation in the holdings. Thirdly, they were adamant that the county should retain the vast majority of the farms for the long-term as they are a vital part of Staffordshire’s agricultural sector. Among other benefits, they give young people without much capital a way into farming.

“Some people think that agriculture is history and that it has little place in modern Britain. I believe that the opposite is true. Agriculture will be increasingly important to Britain and Staffordshire (which, for example, is the 3rd or 4th largest milk producing county) in the coming years as pressure grows on world food supplies with increasing population and uncertainty in the weather.

“That is why I am asking the County Council’s cabinet to consider the long-term and not make decisions in the light of short-term financial pressures. If they do this, I am convinced that they will see the wisdom in retaining almost all of the current estate.”