Government must take action to value UK food
security and ensure important environmental
delivery by increasing the current agriculture budget.
The call comes on the 9th annual Back British Farming Day¹, the
day we ask politicians, the public, retailers, food processers
and manufacturers to celebrate and champion British agriculture
and its importance to the UK economy.
Speaking ahead of a breakfast reception² for MPs in Parliament,
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “British farmers and growers are
proud to produce the raw ingredients that underpin our essential
food and drink sector, the largest manufacturing sector in the
UK, worth a huge £148 billion, and employing more than four
million people.
“But there are huge challenges. Over the past 18 months we have
seen a collapse in farmer confidence, driven by record inflation,
falls in farm income and a changing climate with unprecedented
weather patterns delivering relentless rain which left thousands
of acres of farmland under water.
“While in opposition we heard consistently from Labour that food
security is national security. The Prime Minister, speaking at
NFU Conference last year, pledged that Labour “aspires to govern
for every corner of our country, and will seek a new relationship
with the countryside and farming communities on this basis, a
relationship based on respect and on genuine partnership”.
“We now need to see those ambitions realised. Today we're calling
on government to truly value UK food security by delivering a
renewed and enhanced multi-annual agriculture budget of £5.6
billion³ on the 30 October. This budget is essential in
giving Britain's farmers and growers the confidence they
desperately need to invest for the future and deliver on our
joint ambitions on producing more sustainable, affordable
homegrown food while creating more jobs and delivering for
nature, energy security and climate-friendly farming.
“Our farmers and growers are much loved and valued by the public
who rank our job as one of the most important and well-respected
professions⁴, second only to nursing. 91% also believe
farming is important to the UK economy, with 85% believing we
should increase our self-sufficiency in British food.
“On this Back British Farming Day, we are at a tipping point, so
we call on government, all MPs, to also show their unstinted
support. Seize this opportunity to harness the passion and
the drive of British farmers and growers to ensure a
thriving future - a future that is good for shoppers, good
for the environment and good for a secure supply of British
food.”
-ends-
Notes to editor:
-
Back British Farming Day is
on Wednesday 11 September. Join the
Back British Farming Day celebrations
by using the #BackBritishFarmingDay hashtag on social media.
- Today's celebrations start in Westminster with a breakfast
reception at the House of Commons. MPs will be given a wheatsheaf
pin badge, now an emblem of the day, to wear during Prime
Minister's Questions to show their support.
- The NFU commissioned the independent Andersons Centre to
model the public funding needed to deliver statutory environment,
climate and policy ambitions in England over the next
Parliament. It showed an annual agriculture budget of
around £4 billion would be required which would translate to a
UK-wide budget of around £5.6billion.
- 2000 adults in England and Wales responded to a OnePoll
online survey for the NFU between 30 May and 6 June 2023. Of 10
occupations, farmers ranked 2nd in favourability with 47% of
respondents – up from 4th in 2022. Nursing ranked number 1 with
65% of respondents.
