Now in its fifth year, the campaign uses social media platforms to reach out to the public and MPs. It promotes arable farmers’ positive contributions to food production, the farmed landscape and diverse habitats.
Reaching the next generation
This year, we’re using the campaign to bring the British harvest to TikTok, so we can showcase harvest to younger people and remind them of the journey that food takes from farm to fork. It follows research that identified a new challenge of reminding under-35s where their food comes from, and the vital role of British farmers.
NFU Combinable Crops Board chair Matt Culley said: “The NFU is always evolving its content to ensure we are staying relevant - TikTok is a growing part of that mix - and we’re excited to engage with a younger audience in this new way to build a positive connection.
“This year we will highlight the hard work of British arable farmers during harvest by bringing their stories to life though a series of short, fun and informative videos.
"Farming families will be describing what they are growing in their fields, how technology like GPS helps them harvest efficiently, and even showcasing the journey barley takes as part of the beer-making process.
“It continues to be a tough year for the arable sector with farmers’ experiencing unpredictable farm costs and ongoing market volatility. That’s why this year’s #YourHarvest campaign is more important than ever.
“Over the coming months we will be celebrating all the amazing crops our arable farmers grow such as wheat for your bread or barley for your beer and thanking the public for backing British farming and their continued support in buying locally produced, home grown food.”
How to make a top TikTok
Take a break and download the TikTok app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store today.
It's really easy to share your own story – we've put together some tips to help you get started:
- Relax and be yourself - this is your chance to communicate with the people that are buying what you produce.
- Consider how the video will look - subtle things like good lighting and an interesting backdrop go a long way to getting people to stop and listen to what you're telling them.
- Get straight to the point - make sure you have a clear key message in the first 10 seconds of the video.
- Something that you see every day might be interesting to others - remember that a lot of your viewers will never have seen a farm before. Small details about your farm might capture someone else's attention!
- Be a person, not a business - younger generations are sceptical of things that look like adverts. Avoiding jargon and being genuine will help your viewers trust what you're saying.
Get involved and send in your videos
We would love to feature you on our Back British Farming TikTok page. Get involved by filming a video about what you are growing and how you're doing it. You can contact our social media team here.
Below are some examples of the type of content that we're looking to share with the public this year.
- Tell us about the people who are working on your farm to help bring in the harvest.
- Show off the kit, such as GPS systems or combine harvesters, that you use during harvest.
- Highlight the steps that you take on farm to keep everyone safe.
- Make the link between your harvest and the food that it creates.
Golden rule: Be sure to film in the field of crop you are talking about!
Order your field signs today
We have created a selection of field signs to print and download that help you communicate with the public and share the great story that British farming has to tell.
These cover growing wheat, growing barley, grazing sheep and cattle, looking after the environment and more.
Matt said: “Few people recognise what a field of wheat or barley looks like until it turns golden at harvest time. I urge you all to either order or download the signs and place them prominently by footpaths, so the public better appreciate what we do.”
