Teesdale sheep farmers will address MPs

THE Teesdale farmers whose lives were chronicled for a critically-acclaimed documentary are to address MPs  at a special parliamentary screening of the film.

Addicted to Sheep, which followed a year in the lives of Tom and Kay Hutchinson and their three children, is being shown at the House of Commons on Monday, April 24.
The event is being hosted by Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman and Tory Peter Aldous, MP for Waveney, who helped look after his family’s pig and arable farm before entering parliament.
Sponsored by the NFU, the screening will be followed by a Q&A and discussion session with the Hutchinsons, filmmaker Magali Pettier and Robin Milton, an Exmoor sheep farmer who chairs the NFU Upland Forum.
Despite being in the midst of lambing, Mr and Mrs Hutchinson, of Forest-in-Teesdale, said they were keen to attend the event to offer MPs a first hand insight into the lives of hill farmers.
Although the film was made before the EU referendum, they are hoping the issues highlighted will resonate with MPs who, in the wake of Brexit, will have to come up with a post CAP regime.
Mrs Hutchinson said: “Little did we know at the time. We never thought it would get on national television and be shown internationally. We thought it was just going to be a DVD.
“Now it is going to be shown in parliament to give an insight into the lives of hill farmers and their efforts to keep livestock. I would hope they [MPs] would learn something from it.”
Mr Hutchinson added it was important to impress on the parliamentarians that whatever schemes they came up with, it was the farmers who would have to make them work.
“It is our livelihood. We have got to make a living here. If they are going to change the rules, it’s the people on the ground who have to implement them,” he said.
“The hope is they realise there are people in this area who are prepared to carry on farming because that is what they want to do – people want to be here and want to do the work.”
Mr Hutchinson said that whatever the future holds, he hoped it would give farmers a good opportunity to make their businesses a success.
“Just handing out money to people is no use.”
Mrs Hutchinson said the future of farming had to hold out hope for the younger generation.
“With an ageing population of farmers, we have got to try to encourage young people into the industry because it has a future. You have got to get the very best out of the situation.”
Mrs Goodman said the screening would give those who care about sheep farming a chance to discuss the interests of the sector.
“I hope it will act as a preliminary stage to the campaign to promote the interests of sheep farming during the Brexit negotiations,” she said.
“Instead of giving any reassurances on the post-Brexit lamb export regime, the Government continues to repeat the cop-out that they will not be giving a running commentary.
“This is a tired line, and I, alongside many within the agricultural sector, are extremely concerned.”