I’VE been at the NFU annual conference this week.

Spokesmen from the three main parties are on the platform.

I will be asking if any of them have a strategy for agriculture.

One cannot help wondering where we are heading with regard to food production.

There was a six per cent fall in sheep in Scotland, a four per cent fall in beef in the UK, Argentina is soon to become a net importer of beef, the least number of sheep in Zealand since records began and we have produced the least milk for 20 years.

At this rate we will soon have a few super-sized farms clustered round a few super dairies, selling to five supermarkets, plus a smattering of boutique dairy farms making cheese and yogurt for farm shops.

Only last week it was proposed to build a 9,000 cow dairy unit in Lincolnshire.

Paradoxically, in Burton-in-Kendal, we have people on a waiting list for allotments.