Co-op Farms plays host to minister

The Co-operative Farms recently welcomed farming and environment minister Jane Kennedy to its operation at Tillington, near Hereford.

The fruit farm is owned and run by The Co-operative Farms, the UK’s largest farming business, and grows apples, pears, cherries and damsons.

Kennedy was shown around by The Co-operative Farms’ md, Christine Tacon, David Gardner, its head of fruit operations, and Tillington’s farm manager William Barnett.

As well as touring the orchards, the minister was also shown the farm’s classroom, used when local schoolchildren visit as part of its From Farm to Fork initiative, and visited nearby Wye Fruit, the largest fruit co-operative in the UK, of which The Co-operative Farms is a founding member.

Tacon said: “We were delighted to show the minister some of what we do at Tillington and at Wye Fruit. I am sure she found her visit interesting and informative. She asked lots of questions and we had the chance to talk to her about issues affecting our businesses. We enjoyed having her on the farm.”