NFU President Meurig Raymond is chairing a meeting at NFU HQ on Friday 12 September for farmers affected by HS2, the government's planned high speed rail link, who have lodged a petition with the HS2 Select Committee. During the meeting NFU's Parliamentary Agent will explain the process and procedure for giving evidence in support of individual petitions to the Select Committee in parliament.

It is expected that the evidence-giving process will begin in mid-October. NFU rural surveyor Louise Staples and NFU tax advisor Michael Parker will also talk about the NFU’s petition.

NFU has supported members preparing petitions against the HS2 Bill through its Legal Assistance Scheme in recent months.

The government claims a high speed rail link, initially between London and Birmingham, with branches later extending to Manchester and Leeds, will lead to economic growth and potentially reduce the country's north-south divide. Opposition parties' positions on the controversial project have often been difficult to pin down; Labour has been critical of the plans but chose to back the line in April, the Green Party opposes HS2 and although UKIP also opposes the project, which runs through Tory heartlands, the party proposed three high speed rail links in its 2010 manifesto.

Elsewhere, however, opposition to the plans has been widespread.

Last year, Margaret Hodge, chair of the Public Accounts Committee, said "The Department for Transport has yet to present a convincing strategic case for High Speed 2… It has not yet demonstrated that this is the best way to spend £50billion on rail investment in these constrained times, and that the improved connectivity will promote growth in the regions rather than sucking even more activity into London."

NFU President Meurig Raymond said on Wednesday, "Farmers who have petitioned the Bill will now have an opportunity to give evidence on their petitions to the HS2 Select Committee. The select committee will hear all individual circumstances which could result in changes to the Bill.

"There is no substitute for the Select Committee hearing directly from individual farmers and growers about the impact HS2 will have on their farm businesses. This evidence will create a stronger case for all farmers and growers and help to achieve better compensation and mitigation."

The NFU will also be giving evidence on its own petition which it submitted on behalf of farmer members who will be impacted by HS2. More information is available from the union here.