Defra Secretary Leadsom visits Yeo Valley to amplify Somerset's local produce for trade deals

Farm from Porlock Hill, Somerset
Farm from Porlock Hill, Somerset

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom has told Somerset’s food and drink industry it has a 'critical role' to play in helping the UK forge international trade deals.

She also reassured the South Western county it will remain a 'top destination for global investment', in her first visit to the south west since her appointment as Secretary of State.

During a visit to Yeo Valley in Somerset, the Environment Secretary met leading local food and drink producers to set out her ambition for the county’s produce to benefit from trade deals with the EU and around the world.

The new ambition for the sector came as Yeo Valley announced the final stage in bringing the production of Tesco own brand standard yoghurt back to the UK, where it will be made in its factory using 100% British milk.

Newly appointed Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom
Newly appointed Defra secretary Andrea Leadsom

With 1,500 people employed in the business the news provides a needed boost for the UK’s dairy farms, which contribute £4.6 billion to the economy.

Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom said that Somerset has a 'rich and proud' food heritage with a 'global reputation for quality and provenance.'

She said: "It is that valuable reputation, and the growing global demand for quality British produce, that will help us strike strong trade deals across the EU and the rest of the world for our first class food and drink industry.

"Tesco’s new yoghurt production line at Yeo Valley is also a fantastic vote of confidence in South West dairy farmers and great news for the local economy."

Vote of confidence in South West dairy farmers

Yeo Valley is already committed to promoting the British brand overseas, exporting £1.2million of its products each year globally, including ice cream to South Africa and Germany and yoghurt to the United Arab Emirates.

The family-run dairy business has responded to the surge in global popularity of yoghurt - it now produces more than 2,000 tons of organic and frozen yoghurt, butter, milk and ice cream each week - adding value for its own farms and for 90 others in the south west.

Managing Director Adrian Carne from Yeo Valley said: "It is an exciting period for British agriculture and dairy processing.

"It was useful to give the Defra Secretary an insight into our business and to discuss the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

"It was important to hear the Minister was supportive of our initiatives to back British family farms across the country."

Whilst in the area the Minister listened to the views of other food and drink businesses from across the county including Wyke Farms, the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative and Thatcher’s Cider to understand export opportunities for the sector.