MEP hears why the beet must go on

Sugar beet growers will be highlighting the importance of the crop to East Anglia when Liberal Democrat MEP Andrew Duff visits two Norfolk farms on Friday (7 January). Mr Duff will watch a sugar beet harvester at work during a tour of central Norfolk branch chairman's Ian Robertson's farm at Thompson. During the visit, Mr Robertson and other branch members will outline their concerns about European Commission proposals to reduce the price paid to beet growers by 37% over three years and cut the amount that can be grown by 2.8 million tonnes.

The UK sugar industry supports around 20,000 jobs, many of them in Norfolk, and there are fears that hundreds of jobs would be lost if the proposals go through unchanged. Later, the branch will take Mr Duff to Peter Chapman's arable farm at Caston to see how modern farming links in with looking after the environment. Group secretary Steve Andrew said: "We're pleased Mr Duff is joining us. The two farm visits will be an excellent opportunity to highlight concerns about sugar reform, and other rural issues."