Hall Hunter puts communication first
4 December 2004
Hall Hunter Partnership, which grows soft fruit at Tuesley Farm, Godalming, recently released an information hand-out to explain how it manages its farming operations. The publication was distributed to interested local residents and community organisations, Waverley Borough councillors and representatives of national political parties.
The publication was designed to provide locals with accurate information about what goes on at the farm, says Harry Hall, managing partner. “We’ve had many requests for information about our activities, so we produced the four page document to answer the most common questions. We’ve always been willing to talk to concerned residents and interested parties, and this is just a continuation of that policy of open dialogue.”
“The response was overwhelmingly favourable, and we had many requests for additional copies so that people could pass them on to friends and neighbours,” he adds.
He also points out that, over the past year, there have been a number of misleading or inaccurate claims made about Hall Hunter Partnership and its activities at Tuesley Farm. “As a family business, we strongly believe in responsible farming practices. However because of a lack of understanding about modern agriculture, the future of the farm has been put at risk, and with it the future of a whole sector of horticulture. We hope that by communicating the facts, people will understand that preventing soft fruit farming at Tuesley Farm will have a knock on effect across the country.
“It would lead inevitably to increased imports of a whole range of fruit and vegetables to meet both seasonal and out-of-season demand, with consequences for rural employment, the country’s balance of trade and the global environment.”
