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Kent farmers to hold go-slow convoy in Wincheap, Canterbury

By: Louis Walker lwalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 14:49, 29 February 2024

Updated: 17:41, 29 February 2024

Farmers will take part in another go-slow convoy in Kent this Sunday, the fourth in a matter of weeks.

After previous rallies in Ashford and Dover, tractor drivers will take to Canterbury to demonstrate against cheap imports and unfair treatment of British farmers.

Kent farmers are set to protest for the fourth time in a matter of weeks

Organising group Fairness for Farmers says members will meet at the top of Bridge Hill and the Wincheap Industrial Estate at 11:3 0am.

The demonstration will end at Wincheap roundabout.

On Friday, February 23, about 20 tractors invaded an Asda car park in Ashford, with two other protests held earlier this month, in Dover.

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Andrew Gibson, 42, a fifth-generation farmer from Wingham who was at the protest last week, said they were worried about lowering food standards.

He told KentOnline: “British farmers have been downtrodden for years and years. And we’ve simply had enough.

Andrew Gibson, 42, is a fifth-generation farmer from Wingham
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“We’re thinking about public safety and food security as well, as we’re getting imports from around the world that are not operating to our standards.

“We’ve got the highest food standards in the world. And we want to keep that. We love feeding the British public, and we want to keep doing that.

“Supermarkets say they love British farming, but it’s not filtering down.

“We’ve got to make sure we are protected and our food security is protected.

“The public has been brilliant - we’ve had a lot of support for our protests, people coming out their houses cheering and it has been brilliant actually.”

Farmers at Ashford’s Asda on Friday, February 23

The demonstrations come as Europe’s farmers ramp up protests against EU measures and rising prices.

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Farmers on the continent say they have faced heavy regulation, powerful and domineering retailers, debt, climate change and cheap imports.

While most protests have been in France, similar action has been taking place in a host of countries including Italy, Spain, Romania, Poland, Greece, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands.

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