Coffey and fine weather give Suffolk Show early boost

Tens of thousands of visitors had passed through the gates of the show by lunchtime - keen to take advantage of the entertainment on offer.

One of the visitors was Suffolk Coastal MP and Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Therese Coffey who visited the Farm 4 Future display focussing on the development of agriculture in the future.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey at the Suffolk Show. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

She used her visit to the show to unveil new funding for farms which is to be added to the £3bn that is already being spent by the government on supporting the industry.

Dr Coffey said this money had replaced the money that had previously supported come from the EU's Common Agricultural Policy.

Farming has been on the political agenda recently with Dr Coffey and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak holding a food summit in Downing Street - while Home Secretary Suella Braverman suggested that seasonal workers from Europe could be replaced in fruit-picking fields by British staff.

Dr Coffey said that the food summit had agreed the government would continue to offer temporary visas for agriculture workers this year and next. 

She said in the long-term technology could replace the need for temporary workers - although she acknowledged that could be many years away.

She said: "There has already been some progress with machines picking asparagus and we will have to see what happens."

Growers continue to be sceptical about the prospect of machines being able to pick soft fruit or tomatoes.

Elsewhere on the showground judging continued in the animal classes which, as ever, attracted a huge amount of interest. 

Suffolk horses are always a favourite at the show. (Image: Charlotte Bond)

Heavy horses, especially the Suffolk's are a perennial favourite - but so are other exhibits including sheep and goats.

Sheep judging at the Suffolk Show. (Image: Charlotte Bond)