Here in rural Devon, our farmers are the backbone of our communities. Farming is not so much a vocation as a way of life; it employs a huge number of people across our towns and villages. It is not just about farming families, but also those who work in the supply chain. Put simply, farmers are the beating heart of our countryside.

Yet in recent years, agriculture has come under huge pressure. Uncertainty over the future of farming support, alongside this Conservative Government’s record of unfavourable trade deals that undercut British producers, have left many small family-owned farms pushed to the brink. This threatens the future of our countryside and those of us who live in it.

If we want to create thriving communities, we must ensure that our farmers can sell their produce free from excessive bureaucracy - and sell to consumers at a fair price. Sadly, that is often not the case, with many struggling against big supermarket consortia that seek to pay the absolute rock bottom price – sometimes at or below the cost of production. This leaves our farmers vulnerable.

Sadly, the current Government seems more focused on grabbing headlines than making any real changes. Their poorly-managed transition away from the Basic Payment to the new Sustainable Farming Incentive has left many farmers worse off, with no idea if the future will be brighter.

One thing that Ministers in the Department for Business and Trade could do right away would be to ensure the Groceries Code Adjudicator is empowered to take more effective action against unfair practices. This would include making retailers not only honour payment of the price they agreed, but would also ensure that they pay on time - avoiding the ludicrous scenario where farmers have sold their goods but are left waiting months for payment.

I look forward to debating these issues next week in Parliament, and highlighting the value of our farmers in areas like ours, though they are too often taken for granted. Farmers not only produce the food for our tables; they can also help manage our landscapes, help mitigate and adapt to climate change, and protect biodiversity by improving local water and air quality.

This Conservative Government’s repeated failure to support British farmers is a big mistake that will have a huge impact on our food security and leave our rural communities poorer. I understand the anxiety amongst our farmers who simply do not know whether they can keep their farms profitable – in spite of the fact that many of these farms have been around for centuries. We cannot allow the rural backbone to be fractured because of Westminster’s neglect.