New Rural and Farming networks announced

Rural businesses in the North West and Southern England are to have a hotline direct to government, as three new Rural and Farming Networks are announced by Environment Minister, Richard Benyon.

Fourteen Rural and Farming Networks were set up at the start of the year to identify and feed back local issues and concerns, straight to government, in order to make policies more rural-friendly.

The networks announced today (4th April 2012) are:

The Wessex Rural and Farming Network.

Cumbria & North Lancashire Farming, Food & Rural Group.

Cheshire, South and West Lancashire, Merseyside & Manchester Land Use Farming & Rural Group.

Mr Benyon, comments: “Great business ideas should never be held back by the challenges of a rural location.”

He adds: “These Rural and Farming Networks are making us aware of the problems that local businesses face so that we can tackle them and provide the right opportunities for businesses to grow.”

In addition to bringing together people from rural communities, the networks provide each group with a vital point of contact in the event of local emergencies, such as flooding.