I believe that one of the best ways to address the climate crisis locally is to promote local and seasonal food. I proposed a motion with cross-party support at Cambridgeshire County Council backing our local farmers.

Cambridgeshire County Council owns the largest county farms estate in the UK - 33,000 acres and more than 160 tenants. 47% of Cambridgeshire’s population is rural, with much higher numbers in the Huntingdon constituency, far higher than the UK average of 17%.

I attended many Young Farmers meetings and proposed a motion based on ideas from young people working in farming and those who want to open a business locally.

Rural communities need more central Government support. Reduced budgets for local authorities and the impact of post-Brexit immigration policy on skill shortages did not help our agricultural sector. The motion called on Government to protect food standards, workers’ rights and address skill shortages. It also committed the council to support the National Farmer's’ Union “Back British Farming” campaign, to work on promoting at least half the food in council events to be locally sourced and working with the Mayor towards more vocational skill offers for agriculture.