TORY Parliamentary candidate John Greenway took to the campaign trail in Ryedale, talking to farmers at Malton's cattle market, chatting with shop owners, and even kissing a baby.

He said it was good to see the market thriving and so many local farmers making use of it.

"However, talking to them, it is clear that they are fed up with all the paper work and bureaucracy," said Mr Greenway yesterday.

He said the way that Common Agricultural Policy reforms were introduced was "unnecessarily bureaucratic and unsympathetic" and pledged that the amount of paper work would be cut under a Conservative Government.

Mr Greenway called for a full investigation into the foot and mouth epidemic and what went wrong.

"The big issue for agriculture is that were produce is going from the farm gate to abattoirs and supermarkets the price is being depressed and depressed," he said.

"We've lost a third of our dairy produce in Ryedale and, for the first time since the war, we're producing less food."

"We've got to get people into these shops and that means the support of two things; tourism and a viable rural economy."

Mr Greenway also visited the newly-renovated Will's Caf Bar, which is run by the Schofield family, and kissed their new arrival, baby Jessica.

Updated: 11:26 Wednesday, April 20, 2005