Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP
RT Hon Hilary Benn, Defra Secretary of State:
"The truth is all of us know that agriculture is going to be even more important in the years ahead. The challenge is to produce more whilst impacting less on the environment. I think that there is now an agreement and there is not a competition between production and the environment. The truth is the two have to go hand in hand.
"I genuinely believe this is a time of great opportunity for farming because the world is going to need to produce more food and agriculture really does matter. I meet lots and lots of farmers who are upbeat, confident and working hard, showing skill and innovation. We have to tell that story to encourage the next generation in to farming."
