29 April – 5 May 2019
Following the publication of the report from the Committee on Climate Change, NFU President Minette Batters was featured on the BBC Radio 4 programme World at One (23 mins 30 sec) discussing her reaction. Minette emphasised that solutions include smarter farming and using renewable energy rather than downsizing production. The programme had around 1.5 million listeners.
NFU Deputy President Guy Smith featured on BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 5 Live about the climate change report recommendations to plant more trees and to reduce food production. In response Guy highlighted that farmers have already planted a large number of trees, and that if we re-forest parts of British agriculture reducing food production, we will have to rely more heavily on imports from areas where rainforests may have been destroyed. This was listened to by a combined audience of about 9 million people.
BBC Radio 4 interviewed NFU Horticulture Board Chairman Ali Capper about the delay to seasonal workers’ visas. In the interview Ali warned that this delay could result in un-picked crops and rotting produce.
Farmers Weekly and Farmers Guardian both covered seasonal workers’ visa delays and the climate change report. Farmers Weekly also mentioned the NFU marathon team who had so far raised over £15,000 for Farm Africa which will be doubled by UK Government. NFU Director General, Terry Jones, was also quoted in Farmers Guardian talking about the recent announcement that the ASDA and Sainsbury’s merger has been blocked by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).