Food to be highlighted ahead of election

The ‘Great British Food Gets My Vote’ campaign will urge politicians to back British farming in their manifesto, and ask the public to continue buying British food and support agriculture.

As part of the campaign – to be launched at the NFU’s annual conference on Tuesday February 24 and Wednesday February 25 – the union has booked adverts in national newspapers and farming publications to highlight the importance of British farming and food production.

National newspapers​

Farmers have also been asked to invite their local MP onto their land to see for themselves how farms work.

NFU president Meurig Raymond said: “With less than three months before the general election, British agriculture and the future of domestic food production must be recognised as a hugely important issue for Britain as politicians battle it out.​

“Before the campaign has launched, we already have hundreds of our membership interested in playing an active part. Farmers on the ground are behind what we’re doing with this campaign, which shows the sheer importance of our lobbying.”​

Hundreds of NFU members have already signed up to receive and display banners with the campaign title ‘Great British Food Gets My Vote’. Also, campaign window stickers will be distributed to 50,000 members in the next edition of the NFU member magazine British Farmer & Grower​.

Millions of tourists​

NFU deputy president Minette Batters said it was important food and farming was recognised for the key role it played in producing food and contributing to the country’s economy, in creating jobs and the rural landscape that attracts millions of tourists every year.

“We know people care about farming – you only have to look at the recent dairy crisis to see people really wanting to help solve the current crisis,”​ said Batters.

“People realise it takes years of commitment, on-going investment, time and care to rear good quality beef and dairy animals; plant, nurture and harvest crops; protect soils and manage land. This is a long-term business that needs long-term thinking from the next government.”​

The launch follows a manifesto​ set out by Dairy UK charting what the dairy industry expects of the main political parties as they prepare to fight the election on May 7.