Celebration of farming will highlight the importance of buying British produce

Farmers from Ottery will join others from across the nation in a march to highlight the ‘dire situation’ facing agriculture.

Scores of people representing all sections of the industry will travel to London on Wednesday (March 23), where they will gather at Waterloo Place at 11am and hear from keynote speakers, before heading through Whitehall to Downing Street. Billed as a celebration of farming, the event - organised by lobbying group Farmers for Action - aims to promote the importance of agriculture to the countryside and the wider economy, as well as express concerns.

Ottery farmer Rob Nancekivell said: “The purpose of the march is to highlight the dire situation facing agriculture in terms of the prices we are receiving for our goods, and the bullying tactics being employed by the major purchasers and supermarkets. We urge everyone to buy as much local and British produce as they can to help prevent the industry going the same way as coal and steel.”

Representatives from Ottery will be taking a bus sponsored by Mole Valley Farmers from its Cullompton branch.

For further details, contact Farmers for Action on 01291 690224, email: secretary@farmersforaction.org, or visit: http://farmersforaction.org/