HEREFORDSHIRE Council’s leader has pledged to continue backing farmers and championing the county’s rural economy, highlighting innovation, mentoring and greater cross-border cooperation.

Cllr Jonathan Lester said a recent visit to Green Farm, Felton, as part of the NFU’s Back British Farming campaign had underlined both the opportunities and pressures facing the agricultural sector.

He visited the Simcock family’s farm and said its combination of traditional food production with diversification, job creation and community support demonstrated the resilience of Herefordshire farming businesses.

Cllr Lester also highlighted the county’s growing role in agricultural technology after the council’s Invest in Herefordshire team attended the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London alongside local business S&A Produce.

He said Herefordshire businesses were working in areas including agri-robotics, irrigation technology, crop genetics and regenerative farming, with promoting that expertise outside the county seen as a way of attracting investment and creating jobs.

Practical support for farmers is also continuing through a council-funded mentoring programme led by regenerative farming specialist Ben Taylor-Davies.

Farmers are receiving one-to-one advice on working farms across Herefordshire, with sessions focusing on improving soil health, managing nutrients, reducing input costs and strengthening businesses for the future.

Lessons from the programme will also be shared more widely to allow other farmers to benefit from the work.

Cllr Lester said support for the sector also required Herefordshire’s rural voice to be heard beyond the county.

He travelled to the Senedd this week with partners from England and Wales through the Marches Forward Partnership, which brings together four counties in the historic borderland region.

The partnership used the visit to highlight the contribution rural areas can make to economic growth and discuss issues which cross county and national boundaries.

These include water management, flooding, land use, food production, energy resilience and transport connectivity, which Cllr Lester said required joined-up thinking.

The council leader is also due to take Herefordshire’s case to Westminster and Whitehall later this month alongside the authority’s new chief executive.

They are expected to meet parliamentarians and national decision-makers to argue for greater recognition of the role rural areas can play in the UK economy and to ensure the concerns of farmers, businesses and communities are heard.

Cllr Lester said: “Whether it is supporting farmers through mentoring, showcasing agricultural innovation or making the case for rural investment, we remain committed to backing the people and businesses that make Herefordshire such a special place.

“Our farming community remains one of the county’s greatest strengths. It deserves our support, and it deserves to be championed.”

His comments came as farming businesses continue to face pressure from changing costs, environmental challenges and the need to adapt to new technology and methods.

The council said its approach would combine practical help within Herefordshire with efforts to promote the county’s agricultural expertise and secure investment from further afield.

Cllr Lester said showcasing successful farms and innovative agricultural businesses could help strengthen Herefordshire’s reputation nationally, while ensuring rural communities receive support and investment needed to remain resilient in coming years.