Hitchin’s Member of Parliament Bim Afolami MP met with senior staff from Waitrose at the supermarket’s Hitchin branch on Friday 17th March to discuss farming and food production.
Mr Afolami’s Hitchin & Harpenden constituency contains a significant farming sector, and the Member of Parliament was keen to find out more about Waitrose’s sustainable farm to fork supply chains.
Bim Afolami MP said,
“Farmers and growers in Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages play a massive role – not just in our rural economies, but also in our local communities and in protecting the rural character of our area. I had a really productive conversation with senior Waitrose staff in Hitchin about the UK’s food production, how we can promote sustainable supply chains – through things like the “farm to fork” campaign, and more.
“It is really crucial that we ensure that all of our local farmers and growers have the support that they need to thrive and I’ll continue working with them, businesses like Waitrose and Ministerial colleagues to deliver exactly that.”
Katrina Seifert, Branch Manager from Waitrose Hitchin, commented on the visit:
“It was a pleasure to welcome Mr Afolami to Waitrose to discuss our strong support for British farmers and our investment in lower prices for our customers. We are proud to work hand in hand with nearly 3,000 British livestock farmers, many of whom have supplied us for 30 years, to produce food with care for animals and the planet. We have recently cut the price of more than 300 everyday products, such as outdoor bred sausages and free-range eggs, without compromising on our quality or values, we know both are important to our customers and our farmers."
