Cornwall MP responsible for food farming
George Eustice MP has been re-appointed to his role as minister of state at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The MP for Camborne and Redruth received 23,001 votes in last week’s general election, meaning that his majority was reduced from more than 7,000 to just over 1,500. He has been a Defra minister since May 2013.
In the build up to the EU referendum, Mr Eustice lobbied to leave the EU, promising that the UK government “will continue to give farmers and the environment as much support – or perhaps even more – as they get now.”
He also vowed to promote improved wildlife habitats and higher animal welfare standards.
“In the scheme of things, the amount of money spent on our countryside and wildlife is very modest when compared with spending on other departments. But we could spend our money more effectively if we had control,” he said.
Mr Eustice will serve under Michael Gove in Theresa May’s new government. Outside of politics, he comes from a farming background and his family run a fruit farm, restaurant and farm shop in Cornwall.
As minister of state for agriculture, fisheries and food, his responsibilities will include:
- food and farming, including CAP (Common Agricultural Policy), apprenticeships, exports, and bovine TB (tuberculosis) policy
- fisheries
- better regulation
- science and innovation
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
