Protect British farming – join our call for short-term support for farmers
Photograph: Fototek/Geoff Pagotto
The NFU is combining the strength of its vast Back British Farming supporter network with farmers and growers in a new campaign urging government to support the farming sector as it faces a cash flow crisis.
To kickstart its latest campaign, the NFU is harnessing its combined reach, some 43,000 NFU members and more than half a million campaign supporters.
The campaign is calling on government to provide short-term loans and introduce a fallen stock scheme, giving farmers the breathing space to recover and plan for the year ahead.
“We are asking farmers and the public alike to sign the campaign and help us send government a clear message: act now before our capacity to produce the nation’s food is eroded.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
British farming at risk
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “Farmers are facing an unprecedented cash flow crisis which started with dramatic inflation caused by the Middle East war. We’ve seen growers losing hundreds of thousands of pounds after a drought-ravaged harvest, while cattle and sheep farmers have had to use winter feed stocks in August. At the same time, they’re also bearing the emotional and financial toll of losing animals to bluetongue.
“Many otherwise viable businesses simply do not have the financial breathing space to keep going. A 12-month loan would provide an immediate lifeline, a bridge to the future, helping farmers stay afloat and continue producing the food we all rely on.”
Urgent investment needed
The campaign comes after the NFU brought together farming organisations to agree the urgent action and key investments needed to secure the future of British farming and our supply of homegrown food.
The Keep British Growing Loan would give farm businesses the working capital to produce next year’s food, while the fallen stock scheme would help dairy and livestock farmers meet the rising costs of collection and disposal.
Read: Farmers at crisis point: Action needed to ensure food is grown next year
Every name counts
Tom said: “This is about more than protecting individual businesses. It is about safeguarding the future of British farming and our national food security.
“We are asking farmers and the public alike to sign the campaign and help us send government a clear message: act now before our capacity to produce the nation’s food is eroded.”
The NFU is urging all farmers and growers to add their name and share the campaign across their networks, both with fellow farmers and with members of the public.
Together, we can urge the government to act now to protect the future of British food.
