The Royal Cornwall Show
- ashlingwilliams
- Jun 30
- 2 min read
My grandad was a farmer, and several of my uncles and aunts still are. Although my dad took a different path and became a bank manager(!), I was always taken to agricultural shows as a child, and when he was small, I took my son to the Royal Cornwall Show.
The Royal Cornwall Show is one of the country’s last true agricultural shows, and it was a real privilege to attend as a Member of Parliament. I got a chance to speak with local farmers, the NFU, the CLA, and others about both the challenges they face and the opportunities ahead.
As a member of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, I work on holding DEFRA to account and shaping rural policy. Our first report focused on the future of farming, calling for a pause on proposed inheritance tax changes and highlighting the need for better communication between DEFRA, Parliament, and the farming community.
Departments are now required to buy at least 50% British food, the seasonal workers scheme has been extended, and we are backing innovation, from new tech to a National Biosecurity Centre to help protect crops and livestock.
We are also opening new trade opportunities with India, the US, and the EU, while upholding the UK’s high standards for food safety and animal welfare.
The Prime Minister and Secretary of State have said many times that food security is national security. That’s why we're developing a 25-year Farming Roadmap, a new Food Strategy, and a Land Use Framework to balance food production with nature recovery, clean energy, and housing. Farmers need certainty to plan and invest, and the sooner we set a clear direction, the better.
From April 2026, farming will receive £2.7 billion a year, rising to £2 billion annually for environmental land management by 2028/29. Additional funding is supporting flood defences, tree planting, peatland restoration, and environmental schemes.
This is the most nature-focused farming Spending Review settlement in UK history, an opportunity to back British farmers, strengthen our food supply, and restore the countryside for future generations.
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