Public support offers boon to beleaguered British farmers

Britain’s farmers and growers have been named as one of the public’s most favoured and valued professions – second only to nurses, a new survey commissioned by the NFU can reveal.

A OnePoll survey in May of 2,000 adults in England & Wales found that 74 per cent of the public have a favourable view of farmers and growers, recognising how hard they work to produce food for the nation. While 91 per cent of respondents said they felt that farming is important to the UK economy.

Other survey findings included: 89 per cent of the public feel it is important that Britain has a productive farming industry; 85 per cent of people support increasing self-sufficiency in UK food production; and 87 per cent of people think it is important that trade deals ensure animal welfare standards are the same in countries we import food from as in the UK.

The NFU said the survey results, which come at a time when farmer confidence in their future is at its lowest since records began in 2010, demonstrate the key role agriculture businesses can play in kickstarting growth for Labour’s new mission-led government.

The farming union said it would present the survey findings to Labour MPs as it made its case to the new government to set a UK-wide agricultural budget of £5.6 billion.

Commenting on the survey yesterday (18 July), NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the public for their continued support of British farmers and growers. When we’re out in our fields, sheds and glasshouses we never take it for granted and it spurs us on to get the food onto their plates.

“The results of the survey show it is vital the new government recognises how much the public value our farmers and growers and the climate-friendly, nutritious food we provide.”

Bradshaw continued: “As outlined in the Labour manifesto, food security is national security. To ensure we deliver on this shared mission and that the public continues to see a safe supply of food in the face of climate change and a volatile global outlook, confidence is key. But confidence of agriculture businesses is at an all time low.

“As the industry that underpins Britain’s largest manufacturing sector – food and drink – which is worth £146 billion to the economy, it’s imperative that policies from the new government revitalise the confidence of farm businesses.

”The number one priority to achieve this long-term confidence is for government to set a UK wide agricultural budget of £5.6 billion. It is not just ‘more money for farmers’ but an investment that means farmers and growers can do more of what the public value them for; delivering more climate friendly, high welfare food, delivering for the environment, increasing clean energy production and kickstarting economic growth.”