Farmers and growers need strong political backing if they are to play their part in tackling the global challenges of increasing population, dwindling resources and climate change, the NFU said today.
The NFU’s annual conference in February saw Hilary Benn, Nick Herbert and Tim Farron throw their weight behind farming, demonstrating that the main parties now understand why farming matters. With the industry’s thoughts turning to how it can deliver, farmers are keen to meet candidates ahead of the election and impress upon them the importance of farming.
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.
“For our industry to thrive we need to see farming and growing at the heart of policy-making. 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. We also need the next government to take a leading role in the reform of the Common Agriculture Policy, ensuring commonality across all EU member states and sectors and enabling farmers and growers to meet the food production challenge that is looming.
“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 to grocery supply chain’s code of practice. Clear country of origin labeling is also essential to help consumers understand where their food comes from and allows them to make informed choices.
“At a time when everyone’s talking about the election, the irony is that better policy-making on animal health and welfare would be achieved if we took the politics out of animal health and the NFU has called for an independent body for animal health and welfare issues to tackle serious issues such as bovine TB.
“I believe our members can make a difference in this election. Many of the rural seats are marginal and I would urge anyone meeting a parliamentary candidate to use our manifesto to ensure that farming is not only on their agenda but at the top of it. We need farming champions in opposition and in the next government to create the right environment for the food producers of this country to flourish.”
No comments have been made.