Last month I visited Green Farm, Felton as part of the NFU's Back British Farming campaign. Spending time with the Simcock family and seeing their operation at first hand was a useful reminder of the opportunities and the pressures facing farming today.

What stayed with me was the way tradition and innovation sit side by side. Like many farming businesses across Herefordshire, Green Farm has not stood still. Alongside producing food, the family has diversified, created local jobs and found new ways to support the community around them. It is a good example of the resilience and adaptability that have long been hallmarks of farming in our county.

That same spirit was evident when our Invest in Herefordshire team attended the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London alongside Herefordshire business S&A Produce. The event brought together investors, researchers and businesses from around the world to discuss where agriculture is heading and how new technologies can help meet future challenges.

Herefordshire has a strong story to tell. From agri-robotics and irrigation technology to advances in crop genetics and regenerative farming, businesses here are helping to shape the future of food production. Promoting that expertise beyond the county helps attract investment, supports growth and creates opportunities for local people. Innovation matters, but so does making sure farmers can access practical support that helps them strengthen and sustain their businesses.

That is why I am pleased that our farm mentoring programme is continuing this week. Through council-funded support, local farmers are receiving one-to-one mentoring from regenerative farming specialist Ben Taylor-Davies. The focus is on practical steps such as improving soil health, managing nutrients more effectively, reducing input costs and building resilience for the long term.

The sessions take place on working farms across Herefordshire, giving participants the chance to see ideas in practice and identify opportunities that could work for their own businesses. Importantly, the learning from the programme will also be shared more widely so that others can benefit.

Supporting farming is not just about what happens within our county boundaries. It is also about ensuring rural voices are heard at a regional and national level. This week I was at the Senedd alongside partners from Wales and England as part of the Marches Forward Partnership - the four counties that make up the historic Marches borderland region. Together we highlighted the role rural areas can play in driving economic growth, supporting communities and helping to tackle shared challenges.

Many of the issues affecting farmers do not stop at county or national borders. Water management, flooding, land use, food production, energy resilience and transport connectivity all require joined-up thinking. The discussions at the Senedd were an opportunity to champion Herefordshire's farming sector and make the case for greater collaboration and investment across the wider Marches region.

Later this month, I will take that message to Westminster and Whitehall. Alongside our new chief executive, we will be meeting parliamentarians and national decision-makers to demonstrate why rural areas, and Herefordshire in particular, are important to the UK's future prosperity. It is a valuable opportunity to ensure the voice of our farmers, businesses and communities is heard where national policy decisions are made.

Whether it is supporting farmers through mentoring, showcasing agricultural innovation or making the case for rural investment, we remain committed to backing the people and businesses that make Herefordshire such a special place.

Our farming community remains one of the county's greatest strengths. It deserves our support, and it deserves to be championed.

Cllr Jonathan Lester, Leader of Herefordshire Council

Cllr Jonathan Lester, Leader of Herefordshire Council, with Catherine Hinds, from the National Farmers Union at Green Farm in Felton