WE SHOULD remember that the Treaty of Rome, signed in 1957, was signed essentially to keep Europe safe and to ensure that adequate food should be produced at an affordable price so that the continent would steadily improve its standard of living.

In these respects, after generations of wars, the last 70 years have been spectacularly successful.

The European Union has brought us immense benefits by investments in business, tourism, and education to say nothing of the huge impact that the membership of the EU has been to farming and the environment.

We have a vibrant tourism industry, our beaches and rivers are cleaner- all as a direct result of European encouragement.

I fear for the future of UK farming on Brexit.

I feel that I’m being manipulated when George Eustice imagines that successive Governments at Westminster will maintain the support for agriculture and the environment in the catastrophic event of our leaving the Union.

Let us hold on to all the benefits that we now take for granted and not risk that “jump into the dark”.

There are few parliamentarians nowadays who have a proper understanding of the agricultural industry.

As producers, consumers or environmentalists we shall be safer and stronger in Europe for the benefit of future generations.

The risk of leaving is too great.

Michael Pengelly

Gorwell Farm

Abbotsbury

Weymouth