LOCAL MP Gideon Amos has called for the Government to stop neglecting farmers following its sign-off on 13,000 tonnes of tariff-free US beef imports.

Mr Amos, speaking on the NFU’s Back British Farming Day, said urgent action was needed to safeguard the future of rural communities.

He wants a full package of support, including scrapping the family farm tax, restoring Defra funding for young farmers’ clubs, and introducing mandatory country-of-origin labelling on all beef products, including in large shops and restaurants.

Mr Amos said: “Somerset’s farmers make Britain’s landscape what it is, help drive our local economy in Taunton and Wellington and put food on our tables.

“But my recent visits to local farms tell me just how badly they have been let down by both the last and now the current Government.

“Letting in 13,000 tonnes of US beef imports, on top of 30,000 tonnes from Australia and New Zealand - where environmental and welfare standards are not as high - is a massive threat to local farms like the one I visited this week here.

“We should be restoring free trade with the rest of Europe on our doorstep, not opening the way for our farmers to be undercut by meat producers operating lower standards.

“On top of that, the family farm tax will hit the smaller farms without the means to pay the hardest, while National Insurance and wage costs are soaring.

“Cutting funding from young farmers’ clubs is now just adding insult to injury.

“I have also put down Parliamentary questions on improving our bio security measures at ports and airports to protect British farmers and launched my ‘Buy Somerset. Back Britain’ campaign earlier this year.

“We want to see clear labelling so shoppers can support British produce, as well as restoring the kind of agricultural budget our farmers need.”