CLA South West enjoys three days at Royal Cornwall Show

Rain my have tried to dampen spirits but the CLA South West spent three fantastic days at this year's Royal Cornwall Show.

Our Political Breakfast was once again a sell out event with 220 people hearing from Robbie Moore MP - Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - and CLA Deputy President Gavin Lane who told attendees that we do not need to choose between the NHS and farmers.

He commented: “I tell the government this all the time – 60% of the food eaten in this country is produced here. That’s an amazing statistic and one I think we should be incredibly proud of. You get all the environmental delivery from SFI, Higher Level Stewardship (HLS), Countryside Stewardship (CS), 144,000 miles of maintained public footpaths across the country and you get £1.5bn worth of tourism in the South West alone, which I think is completely linked to the landscape that farmers produce.

“It (SFI) is not perfect, there’s an awful lot that has to change, but this is not direct support. This is not money for people owning land. This is a contract to provide something that the market cannot pay for. It is proving a success, but it’s only been going for three or four years, and we’ve had so many reiterations of it. Everyone I speak to says all we want is stability. We want to know where we are and sign the contract. If its for five years, then brilliant. If it’s for 10 years even better. So, what would you get if you got rid of that £2.5bn? It gets you about a week of spending in the NHS and about two weeks of spending in the defence budget. It’s that small. It’s half the U-turn on the Winter Fuel Payment and 3.2% of a pay rise over the whole NHS. It’s very small fry for a huge, huge benefit and I will keep on making this point. We do not have to choose.

“We’re the sixth or seventh largest economy in the world. We do not have to choose between doctors and farmers. We can have both. The closer we get to the changes to the inheritance tax in April 2026, I am not going to see this industry weaponised by the government, and a polarization in this conversation that somehow by reducing what we pay to farmers we’re suddenly going to get a turnaround in the NHS. I don’t believe that is going to happen, and I think the statistics prove it’s not going to happen. We need to do both. We need to have a very well performing NHS and we need to have a really vibrant and well performing agricultural sector as well. That’s what I will keep fighting for and hopefully you’ll keep fighting with me.”

A drinks reception with the Worshipful Company of Farmers to highlight how its leadership courses can help people tackle challenges, seize opportunities and make a meaningful impact on farming and the rural sector.

Our Great Cornwall Land Use Debate where we discussed how Cornwall can manage its competing priorities and to help shape a land use vision that works for its people, economy, and environment. Speakers included Cllr Adam Paynter, Deputy Leader of Cornwall Council, Kate Covill, Managing Director of Ilos Energy UK, Matt Walpole, Chief Executive of Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Stuart Oates, a Nuffield Scholar and seventh-generation organic farmer who spoke alongside the South West Rural Surveyor Mark Burton.

During the show, the CLA signed a memorandum of understanding between the CLA and Britain’s Leading Edge which will see the two organisations work together on key issues that matter to rural communities. You can read more about this here.

Discussions with MPs including Jayne Kirkham (Truro and Falmouth) and Ben Maguire (North Cornwall), and a meeting with the Rt Hon Steve Reed - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs - who met with CLA President Victoria Vyvyan and member James Kittow.

Ensuring the voice of the rural community is heard loud and clear, with the front page stories in the Western Daily Press and Western Morning News and media interviews with ITV West Country and BBC Radio Cornwall.

Thank you to everybody who came to see us on the stand, whether to get advice on your rural business from our team of advisers – Chris Farr, Mark Burton, Cameron Hughes and Richie O'Dowd – or to hear the latest policy updates.

Thanks to all our partners - Carter Jonas, Albert Goodman, Riviera Produce, Cornish Lithium and Ilos Energy - for their support of the CLA South West at Royal Cornwall Show.