Hilary Benns speech at the Farming for the Future conference

Speech by Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP at the Farming for the Future Conference, London - 19 November 2007

Can I extend a warm welcome to everyone who has taken the time to join us here at the Oval today.

The five months since I arrived at Defra have been very difficult for parts of the farming community. I came into the job just after a blisteringly hot spring.

This rapidly turned into the wettest summer on record and for some, quite catastrophic flooding. And when that was over a series of animal disease outbreaks occurred culminating in last week's discovery of avian flu in the east of the country.