Agriculture needs better political representatives to meet future challenges of increasing population, dwindling resources and climate change, according to the National Farmers' Union (NFU).
Farmers and growers need strong political backing in order to meet the challenges of the day, something promised by all three major political parties in NFU’s annual conference in February. It saw MPs Hilary Benn, Nick Herbert and Tim Farron throw their weight behind farming.
Farmers are keen to meet candidates ahead of the 6 May elections and impress upon them the importance of farming, now that the industry’s thoughts are turned towards how farming can deliver.
NFU president Peter Kendall said: "This general election is crucial to the future of our industry, when we need to increase food production and reduce our impact on the environment.
“Parties and their candidates need to understand how to help farming meet its potential if we are to play our part in global food security.”
Kendall said that agriculture could thrive only when it is put at the heart of policy-making. He said: “Competitiveness will be key to our success, and there can be no place for excessive or burdensome regulation which damages our productive capacity while providing no benefit.”
Kendall also called for increased political participation in the reform of the EU Common Agriculture Policy. He added: "A thriving industry depends on a fair and efficient supply chain and we have made a clear case for why we need an independent supermarket ombudsman to oversee the grocery supply chain’s code of practice.
“Clear country-of-origin labelling is also essential to help consumers understand where their food comes from and allows them to make informed choices.”
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