Oliver Dowding announced as Green Party’s Agriculture spokesman
The Green Party recently announced that South West farmer Oliver Dowding has been appointed as the new agriculture spokesman for the party.
Oliver Dowding
The Green Party recently announced that South West farmer Oliver Dowding has been appointed as the new agriculture spokesman for the party. This is a newly defined post and emphasises the party’s increased desire to both connect with farmers and have a stronger profile on agricultural issues.
Oliver has farmed in south-east Somerset for nearly 40 years, the last 26 as an organic farmer. Over time he has kept dairy cattle, beef cattle, grown arable and vegetable crops and more. Currently he has grassland and arable crops only. For nearly all this time he has been certified by the Soil Association and is currently on their Council as a trustee.
“The Green Party has always been supportive of family farmers, who are currently struggling with the turmoil resulting from extreme retail pressures, which in turn are exacerbated by both highly volatile international finance and commodity markets.”
“Mindful that agriculture is the last primary industry left in the UK, the Green Party maintains that it would be a dereliction of duty to not do everything possible to care for and nurture agriculture sensitively. Farming is one of the most long-term industries and farmers have traditionally farmed as though they were going to from for ever. The choppy and violent swings in market pricing is severely hampering all farm sectors and their potential for achieving long-term benefit to society. I look forward to being able to do all I can to help achieve better stability.”
