This week the Gover-nment decided to focus upon Agriculture and Rural Affairs, with the Annual Conference of the National Farmers Union in London and the Prime Minister visiting parts of Cornwall and Devon.
As the Liberal Democrat Agriculture and Rural Affairs Shadow Minister, I have naturally been very involved with events this week, and have spent a great deal of time in TV and radio interviews, as the media try to discern Government policy in these areas.
Farmers were undoubtedly very disappointed with Mr Blair's contribution to the NFU Conference.
Much was made of the need for diversity and change and responding to market conditions.
It seems that Mr Blair has a medium and long-term strategy for farming but apparently not one for the short term.
We are left therefore in wondering how many farmers will ever be able to have the luxury of a medium term future if they go out of business in the next few months.
I believe there is much agreement with the overall strategic direction. Farming cannot live off short-term subsidy or special emergency aid. Farming must become, once more, an industry which provides a fair reward for labour and a decent return on investment, but achieving this gaol will require managed change.
If we take only one lesson away from the experience of the closures of the coalmines and steel works, it should be that the long-term social consequences will be devastating in the countryside, if agriculture is allowed to decline at its current rate.
So much of the rural economy is dependent upon farming and Mr Blair must understand this.
Perhaps for a start when he comes to Cornwall he will confirm his commitment to match fund the Objective One funding so that agriculture and other economic activities will get the vital boost they need - but somehow I doubt it.