Cornwall Council Leader John Pollard welcomed last week’s visit by Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss who spent two days in Cornwall finding out the latest advances in the county’s multi-billion pound food and farming industry.

During her visit the Secretary of State saw some of the innovations in agricultural technology that are helping to improve farming efficiency, lessen the impact on the environment and boost the financial success of the farm economy.

This included a visit to Riviera Produce, based at Connor Downs, near Hayle, where she met employees and was given a demonstration of the company’s new “ hands-free” tractors. She also visited Bodmin-based Camel Valley vineyard, which has won a tourism award through opening its vineyard to over 29,000 visitor; Cornish Sea Salt in Helston where she heard about their innovative production process and export driven growth and heard how the improvements in connectivity led by Superfast Cornwall have helped Cornwall to become one of the best connected rural counties in the UK.

The visit ended with a special breakfast meeting at Lanhydrock Golf Club was attended by key representatives of the agricultural and food and drink industries in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. These included representatives of Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, Cornwall Council, the LEADER groups and the Cornwall Agrifood Council.

“Agri-food is one of our bedrock sectors and has doubled its turnover to over £1 .5 billion per annum over the last decade” said Cornwall Council Leader John Pollard. “During this time DEFRA and the European Union have supported this growth by investing over £150 million through the various Rural Development Programmes which has been matched by local stakeholders and local businesses. “We are also currently in negotiations with DEFRA about how the future Rural Development Programme is targeted in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly as we are keen to build on the progress made to date by focussing on both growth and improving productivity. “Cornwall Council, our partners on the Local Enterprise Partnership and the Cornwall Agri-food Council are committed to working with DEFRA to achieve our common aims and objectives and it was very useful to have the opportunity to discuss these with the DEFRA Secretary of State during her visit”.

The breakfast was hosted by Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership whose Chairman Chris Pomfret said”Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are superbly placed to pioneer new approaches to food and farming systems which is why agricultural technology is a key focus of the LEP’s economic strategy.”

“Our ambition is to harness research and technology to support innovation in the agricultural sector, helping to make it more competitive and productive while protecting the natural environment. This visit was an opportunity to brief the Environment Secretary on some of the great things already happening, and our plans for the future”.

Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said “Food and farming is the cornerstone of our local communities and an economic powerhouse here in Cornwall. “It is clear Cornwall is home to some of the country’s entrepreneurial and forward thinking farmers. It’s using unique technology and creativity in ‘hands-free’ farming to provide quality great British food. No ambition is too high for Cornwall’s food and farming and I hope both farmers and the 2,000 food and drink businesses here in Cornwall will continue to seek out creative opportunities to open their doors to tourism and innovation.”