Mayor David Skaith has commissioned research in partnership with York and North Yorkshire’s farming sector to better understand the finances of farms to ensure they have a future.

He made the commitment after meeting with representatives from the farming industry to hear their concerns around financial challenges for farming and rural businesses.

During a rural roundtable with industry networks including the CLA, National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS), he listened to concerns about a lack of support for farmers.

Mayor Skaith said he will work to build stronger relationships between the government and the farming sector to shape deeper devolution in a rural context and drive the agenda on support and growth.

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He is working on his Local Growth Plan which has food and farming at the top of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s strategic growth priorities.

Mr Skaith said that support for farmers was key to the region’s growth plans, but that must also consider the wider rural issues of transport, housing, skills, planning and energy to support healthy and thriving communities across the region.

Following the roundtable, Mr Skaith said: “I want to work with farmers to inform our plans, not do things to them. This has happened for too long, but with devolution comes the opportunity to change that. The sector has faced many challenges and farmers are rightly concerned about their future.

“I am committed to keeping the communications channels open to help our farmers grow. Food and farming is the top priority in my growth plan and for good reason.

“We all want viable and sustainable farm businesses for the long term, and a strong farming sector here in the UK.

“There is so much potential with our farmers, food producers and researchers all here in York and North Yorkshire. With this and the existing Grow Yorkshire partnership that brings together farming organisations, such as the NFU and CLA, together we can work with government to ensure the future of farming and food.

“It is vital that we get this right. We need to build trust with our region’s farmers, and I know that will take a lot of work and time, but my door is open.”

Mayor David Skaith said he will continue to work with the network, set up by the Combined Authority’s farming initiative Grow Yorkshire, to ensure that as Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, he can champion and advocate for the food and farming sector nationally.

The Mayor is keen to build on the Grow Yorkshire model and provide it with more support, so York and North Yorkshire’s farms can be sustainable, but he is also ambitious about the region’s role as a rural trailblazer.

Last week he visited a dairy farm near Goathland in the North Yorkshire Moors to see how Grow Yorkshire has supported them to become more sustainable and save money on energy costs.

It is one of a number of programmes led by Grow Yorkshire, which also drives innovation by encouraging farmers to adopt new technology and grow bio-fibres while bringing together information for farmers through a radio pilot called Farming Outlook.