Listening is one thing, now industry wants to see action

While to some it may have looked like a Downing Street PR exercise, with a picture posted on the PM's Instagram account of him jovially strolling through the No 10 garden with Clarkson's Farm star Kaleb Cooper and a carefully crafted video circulating of Government Ministers talking about how important farmers are, it is rare for so many of farming's leaders to have the ear of those running the country.  

It is positive to hear those in the room for the discussion, and the brunch which followed, felt they had been listened to.  

But perhaps that was the easy bit. 

Fixing the inherent issues in supply chains and those coming down the track from trade deals will not only take time and thought but some major changes - some of them legislative.

The PM's promise in a letter to the industry (see farmersguardian.com for the full text) to 'put farmers first' in trade deals may even be seen as a direct contradiction when Westminster is in the midst of signing trade deals which present more risk than reward to producers.

By waiting until so many businesses have gone past crisis point to have these discussions plays into the hands of those who say the Government takes food security for granted and is complacent about home grown food production and the communities the farming sector supports. 

While the problems at agriculture's door cannot and will not be fixed overnight, the photo opportunities taken in front of London's most famous one will hopefully act as a marker, highlighted in red pen on the Government's to do list, to act on the industry's asks before time runs out.