IT WAS great fun to take the family to Yeovil Show last weekend. All credit to the organisers for bringing back this excellent day out and showcase for everything agricultural and reminding us of our proud local farming heritage. I hope this show and its wonderful setting at the Showground and Rugby Club will now be a permanent fixture.

In the modern world it is too easy to lose the link between the food on our plates and the green fields, beautiful animals and inspiring personalities that make it all possible. In the search for lower and lower prices, local flavour has sometimes been lost - a shame since there are so many great producers right on our doorstep. If at all possible we should try to support them by seeking out local cuts in the butcher's, grocer's and markets, or local food schemes and farm shops - and making sure the supermarkets know we value local options!

It has been a difficult few years for farmers with falling commodity prices and the reliance on single farm payments under the EU's Common Agricultural Policy and problems with paying them out causing systemic vulnerability and real stress for many farming communities.

I would very much like to hear ideas from farmers about how we might be able to redesign the system outside the Common Agricultural Policy to provide support where it is needed, but in a way more likely to encourage resilience, strong local markets and engagement, and a high quality environment.

It has been fascinating to watch the process of formation of Mrs May's new government. I very much welcome the redoubling of effort to make sure our system is delivering opportunities for everybody in society. This is a busy period for us as MPs making sure new Ministers are fully aware of what we are trying to achieve locally and how they can help with the process. I am confident that we will continue to get the support locally that we need, and perhaps bring some ideas forward faster and in a more creative way.

Lastly I would like to thank the staff and pupils of Stanchester Academy for their kind invitation to present achievement awards at a ceremony on site in Stoke sub Hamdon last week. It was great to such see such talent and dedication and improvement in our local schools is something of which we can all be proud.