Nusrat Ghani MP secured a meeting for Stephen and Phil Hook of Hook Farm, with Robert Goodwill MP, Minister for Farming at DEFRA.
Hook Farm, based in West Hoathly, is the country’s leading provider of raw organic milk, and a significant employer in Wealden.
The meeting covered a variety of topics, including the importance of the development of a more up-to-date testing regime for Bovine Tuberculosis.
Hook Farm’s business, selling unpasteurised milk, means that it is particularly reliant on efficient and accurate testing for Bovine TB, and has been lobbying, alongside Nusrat, for a modern testing regime.
Other topics covered included the importance of organic farming, food security, animal welfare, and the support that they need from the government to continue their pioneering work in providing raw, organic dairy products, for which there is a growing market in the UK.
For more information on Hook Farm see their website http://www.hook-farm-west-hoathly.co.uk/ .
Nusrat Ghani, MP for Wealden, said:
“I am proud to be able to support Hook Farm, a family-owned, local business in Wealden.
“They are a super local business.
“I have offered my support to them throughout my time as an MP, and I was pleased to help them secure this meeting with DEFRA to ensure that the difficulties that they are having will be treated with the seriousness they deserve.
“They are selling dairy-based products to a growing market that recognises the value of their organic raw, unpasteurised milk, and their entrepreneurial spirit is shining through as an example of what the modern-day agricultural industry should look like.
“I look forward to continuing to support Hook Farm at this critical time for their business.”
