Richard Rankin CEO H&H Group Plc reflects on Cumbria's Going for Growth Showcase in Westminster

"I recently had the privilege of travelling down to Westminster to take part in Cumbria's Going for Growth Showcase. Walking through those historic halls of Parliament with the aim of highlighting Cumbria and the people who work across our rural economy really brings home how important it is that rural voices are heard at that level. It was also a reminder of just how much Cumbria has to offer when it comes to farming, food, and the wider rural economy. (I also have to admit; Westminster is a pretty impressive place!).

I was there representing the food and drink sector, which is an integral part of the visitor economy and the rural landscape that Cumbria is famous for. Through my role as Chief Executive of H&H Group, supporting farmers and rural businesses is what we do every day, so it felt important to be part of those conversations.

The event itself brought together more than 40 organisations from across the county along with MPs, policymakers, investors, and business leaders. It was organised through Enterprise in Cumbria and supported by partners across the region, with the aim of showcasing Cumbria's strengths and opening up conversations about investment and future growth in preparation for the UK's Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREiif) in May.

For me, it was also a chance to talk and champion about something that doesn't always get the recognition it deserves, the scale and importance of farming and food production in Cumbria.

Across the county, around 1.3 million acres of land are farmed across roughly 5,000 holdings. Those farms collectively manage nearly two million sheep, around 56,000 beef cattle, and 108,000 dairy cows, producing about 900 million litres of milk every year.

That level of production means Cumbria is the second largest producer of beef and dairy in the UK, which is something we should be incredibly proud of. The county also plays a vital role in the breeding infrastructure and livestock genetics that support the wider farming sector nationally.

Behind those numbers are real people and real livelihoods. Farming alone supports around 12,000 jobs in Cumbria, and when you include all the businesses that rely on it, from feed suppliers and vets to processors, transport companies, hospitality and tourism, that number multiplies many times over.

On paper, agriculture might only account for around 6% of Cumbria's GDP, roughly £250 million, but in reality, it underpins so much of what happens across the county. In many ways, everything starts with farming. Farming feeds directly into our food and drink sector, it supports local businesses and supply chains, and it helps drive the visitor economy. Increasingly we're also seeing farms diversify into new ventures such as farm shops, holiday accommodation, visitor experiences and trails, all which bring new opportunities into rural communities.

One of the points I was keen to make in Westminster is that rural areas work differently from cities. Everything here is far more interconnected. Farming supports the landscape, the landscape supports tourism, tourism supports local businesses, and those businesses support the communities that live and work there – you can't really separate those things out.

Cumbria attracts millions of visitors every year because it is a beautiful place. But the reason it looks the way it does is because of the farmers who manage the land, they are the custodians of our Cumbrian countryside and they shape our landscape.

And the product of their work is something that we shouldn't take for granted: fantastic quality food. Cumbria produces some of the best red meat and dairy produce in the country, with a real sense of provenance and a strong connection to the land.  And that's something worth protecting and investing in, for its future and all our futures.

Sometimes, if we're honest, Cumbria can be a little quiet about its achievements. Cumbrians are traditionally quite modest people and not always the first to shout about what they do well. But events like the Going for Growth Showcase are important because they help put the county on the map and make sure people in Westminster understand the role Cumbria plays.

The event highlighted six key sectors that are central to the county's growth strategy, including defence and advanced manufacturing, clean energy, transport and infrastructure, skills and employability, thriving communities, and the visitor economy alongside natural assets and food and drink.

My own conversations were very much focused on that last area, but it's clear that all of these sectors are linked. Strong rural industries support the wider economy, just as investment in infrastructure and skills will help rural businesses continue to develop.

It was also good to see the level of collaboration that's building across the county, including through the new Combined Authority. Having a coordinated approach and a shared vision for Cumbria's future gives the county a much stronger voice when it comes to attracting investment and influencing policy.

Hopefully this coordinated approach started at Westminster, whilst there were a lot of people there representing different organisations from across Cumbria and I was just one part of that wider group, we all had the same goal and set out to make sure we made a difference.

For me it was a real privilege to attend and to talk about the things that matter to us as a rural county.

At H&H Group our focus has always been on supporting farmers and rural businesses, and in many ways that's what this visit was about, helping to tell Cumbria's story and making sure the people who produce our food and shape our landscapes are recognised for the role they play.

What I hope comes out of the showcase is continued momentum. There were plenty of good conversations, and hopefully they're the start of more discussions to come.

Cumbria has an enormous amount to offer, from world-class food production to a globally recognised visitor economy. Sometimes the most important thing is simply making sure the rest of the country hears that story."