A prime Suffolk farmer has referred to as on authorities to again home-grown meals as agriculture grows within the public’s estimation.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) is marking its annual Back British Farming Day by asking MPs to put on a wheatsheaf pin badge – after a survey suggests farmers’ reputation is rising.
An on-line OnePoll survey carried out for the NFU in June 2023 discovered of 10 occupations, farmers ranked second (47%) after nurses (65%) – up from fourth place in 2022.
Of the 2000 adults in England and Wales polled, 87% supported growing self-sufficiency in UK meals manufacturing in comparison with 80% when requested in 2022.Andrew Blenkiron, Suffolk NFU department chairman, stated he was “over the moon” on the big public help indicated by the ballot.
“We want to thank people for their continued support.
“As a farmer in Suffolk I am incredibly proud to produce high quality, healthy, affordable, Red Tractor-assured food for people to enjoy.
“As all farmers I am committed to producing food to the highest standards of animal welfare, while continuing to protect and enhance the environment.”
Back British Farming day was a “fantastic opportunity” for the industry to showcase all that it does and for others to show their support, he said.
Farming made a “significant” contribution to the economy and was moving towards a fully sustainable future with “many solutions” to the climate change challenge.
“What we really need now is to see our politicians value what we do and back the production of home-grown food and our family businesses,” he stated.
More than 100 MPs are anticipated to attend a Back British Farming Day breakfast reception on the House of Commons in the present day the place they are going to be supplied a wheatsheaf pin badge.
NFU president Minette Batters stated the survey outcomes confirmed the general public was behind the sector.
Ninety per cent of the general public really feel farming is necessary to the UK economic system whereas 81% agreed that British farms ought to develop as a lot meals as they will to supply nationwide meals safety, the ballot revealed.
“Britain’s farmers and growers are truly inspirational, and it is heart-warming to know the public really value the work we do in producing fantastic homegrown food,” she said.
“This food underpins the British food and farming sector and is worth more than £100bn to the national economy, all while protecting and enhancing our landscapes.”
She thanked the public for their support – and said the NFU poll showed a very high proportion wanted home-grown food.
“This is a clear message that the public backs our calls for government to prioritise homegrown food production and legislate to ensure the UK’s self-sufficiency does not drop below its current level of 60%,” she stated.
“We’ve had every thing thrown at us over the previous 18 months – hovering manufacturing prices, world market instability attributable to the continuing battle in Ukraine, excessive bouts of climate and vital delays to farm funds.
“The empty cabinets we’ve seen this yr communicate for themselves – we have to be producing extra of our meals right here.”
She referred to as for statutory authorities targets for meals manufacturing in the identical manner because it has set targets for the setting.
“Fundamentally, investing in home meals manufacturing means we will improve our productiveness, create extra jobs and ship far more for the economic system and for the setting,” she stated.
Christy Willett, chair of the Essex department of the NFU, added: “Essex farmers are proud to look after the countryside to provide wholesome, high quality meals.
“We additionally improve the panorama by offering habitats for wildlife and we will provide actual options to mitigate local weather change.
“Via our many footpaths we offer locations for individuals to loosen up and luxuriate in the fantastic thing about nature. We know {that a} easy walk within the countryside is nice for our bodily and psychological well-being.”
