MP says change and opportunity means an exciting time for Norfolk's farmers
It comes as many are currently facing labour and supply chain issues.
Norfolk's farmers have reason to be cheerful and positive about the future, according Jerome Mayhew, the MP for Broadland.
It comes as many are currently struggling with labour shortages and supply-issues at the moment, with the NFU telling us last week they feel abandoned by the Government.
Despite these issues, Mr Mayhew insists the future is bright: "Overall, I think it is an exciting time to be a farmer. Prices are at a five year high on average at the moment and so although some of harvest wasn't as good as it could have been, prices are compensating for that. Plus we're moving away from the Common Agricultural Policy".
Nevertheless, he says the potential gains on offer aren't guaranteed: "With change comes opportunities and while that's easy for me to say, but with dynamic farmers that I've been speaking to, there's a lot of enthusiasm, albeit slightly nervous enthusiasm and a degree of optimism about the future. But we've got to work through it together".
But he concluded by telling us that the short-term challenges still remain and the industry will need help with them: "Farming is a difficult business at the best of time, and with Brexit and the pivot towards domestic employment rather than relying on cheap off-shore labour, its providing another challenge for farmers which I'm sure many could deal without".
"It's necessary and a good thing in the long term, but there are transitional difficulties and we should be helping them".