NFU President Minette Batters kicked off the day by talking to Farming Today about the NFU's new food report and the need for greater government support for British food production. Listen to the full segment from 7mins 30secs.
#ICYMI @Minette_Batters was on @BBCFarmingToday this morning talking about our new food report and the opportunities for British farmers to produce more food for people at home and abroad ?????? #BackBritishFarmingDay pic.twitter.com/hou72oZwPg
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) September 15, 2021
Westminster event
The NFU hosted an event in Westminister to celebrate #BackBritishFarming day and throughout the day MPs dropped in to pick up a NFU wheat sheaf badge and take a picture with the NFU's backdrop.
As the day continued TV presenter and farmer Jeremy Clarkson joined NFU President Minette Batters to celebrate the virtues of farming with journalists. The Daily Mail quoted Minette as she discussed sustainable food production and Jeremy as he called for the Government to back British farming. Their remarks also appeared in the Daily Express.
At our #BackBritishFarmingDay event, @Minette_Batters and @JeremyClarkson discussed:
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) September 15, 2021
???? The importance of British food and farming
?? Competing with imports
?? Looking for @RedTractorFood
??? Eating a balanced diet
???? Inspiring young farmers
? British farming leading the way pic.twitter.com/5GN3jRX4OX
Celebrity support
And in case you missed it, the Sun wrote a feature about #BackBritishFarming day and interviewed Jeremy at his farm about the importance of buying British, the article also discussed the NFU's recently launched food report and quotes Minette Batters.
The food report, which calls for a review of food security and the appointment of a food supply minister, was also mentioned in a Telegraph article about levelling up and the environment.
'Back British farmers... or I will have to put corks in my cows’ behind', says Jeremy Clarkson https://t.co/hYC22E5c3y
— The Sun (@TheSun) September 14, 2021
Back British Farming https://t.co/CPx2V0xb8y
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) September 15, 2021
MP support
To celebrate the day many MPs wore NFU supplied wheat sheaf and British wool pins and shared images and tweets about the day in support of British farming - this sparked a buzz on Twitter with many people curious about what the pins meant - the Daily Express, the Sun, and the Independent, explained all as they discussed the significance of the badge and mentioned the NFU.
The MP support was the most obvious as Prime Minister's Questions began and the chamber was filled with front benchers and back benchers together in their support of British agriculture.
Both @BorisJohnson and @Keir_Starmer are sporting our iconic wheat-pin and wool lapel badges at Prime Ministers Questions this afternoon to show their support on #BackBritishFarmingDay ???????? #PMQs pic.twitter.com/xTkxJWMsvM
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) September 15, 2021
So great to see support in #PMQs for #BackBritishFarmingDay ???? https://t.co/ZqiHYZuhxu
— NFU Press Team (@NFUPress) September 15, 2021
Student and Young Farmer Ambassadors
The Student and Young Farmer Ambassadors were also out in full force as Karl Franklin was on BBC Radio Oxford (2hr 7 mins) and Zoe Legg was on BBC Radio Devon (1hr 17min) discussing all things farming.
Karl also spoke to Zoe Ball on the R2 breakfast show (42 mins) about tupping and linked it in with BBF Day.
And it wasn't just the nationals...
Our regional comms advisers landed significant coverage in their region with an incredible 148 pieces.
Where were we in 2020?
The Guardian column ponders Brexit impact for farmers
The Guardian's current affairs columnist Polly Toynbee column explored the #BackBritishFarming campaign and discussed Brexit with sheep farmer Robin Milton and NFU director of EU exit and international trade Nick von Westenholz.
Following a momentous #BackBritishFarming Day, @pollytoynbee ponders what’s next for British farmers still seeking clarity from the government over #Brexit in her latest @guardian column https://t.co/FwAQrDbEGZ
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) September 11, 2020
BBC Midlands Today interviews NFU President
Regional broadcast honed in on the #BackBritishFarming campaign with BBC Midlands Today airing its interviews with NFU President Minette Batters and Warwickshire farmer Charlie Beaty making the case for increased scrutiny of trade deals in Parliament.
If you missed NFU President @Minette_Batters' interview with @bbcmtd on #BackBritishFarming Day, watch back from 18 mins 30secs to hear about our asks for high standards to be maintained in the UK ??
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) September 10, 2020
https://t.co/s85QEgKh2U pic.twitter.com/QIATV94tvN
"It's 100% grass-fed." Don't forget to catch up on @GTFarmGirl on @bbcmtd yesterday where she talks about the sheep she grazes on her farm and British lamb's international reputation as an amazing product ?? Catch up from 9 minutes ??https://t.co/1sRiTJaMTh #BackBritishFarming pic.twitter.com/39w7rPPkDA
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) September 10, 2020
Meanwhile, BBC Radio Solent interviewed Hampshire NFU chairman Andrew Mckenzie (listen from 3h01m) and ITV Meridian interviewed NFU South East chairman David Exwood and Sussex NFU adviser Romy Jackson.
National media explains the #BackBritishFarming message
During #BackBritishFarming Day, BBC News, Express online and inews published explainer features highlighting why MPs were wearing the wheat pin badge and call to support Britain's farmers at the heart of the campaign.
In case you were wondering why MPs are wearing badges with wheat attached...
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 9, 2020
Today is Back British Farming day, a day promoted by the National Farmers' Unionhttps://t.co/iETMIo0dEp pic.twitter.com/4ng6TeyoKO
NFU President urges MPs to #BackBritishFarming
In an interview with the Financial Times published on Back British Farming Day, Minette Batters highlighted the NFU's asks for MPs to support increased scrutiny of trade deals in Parliament. *Please note, the article is behind a paywall*
Radio presenter Zoe Ball name checks #BackBritishFarming Day
BBC Radio 2 Presenter Zoe Ball name checked Back British Farming Day live on her breakfast show, reading a letter out from shepherd Carl Franklin in Oxfordshire about to embark on a day's work.
Thank you @ZoeTheBall for the shout out on #BackBritishFarming Day. It's great for the @BBCRadio2 Breakfast Show's 8 million listeners to hear about this. She even gave a shout out to @studentfarmer ambassador Karl Franklin ?????????? pic.twitter.com/L4uR8lIlDs
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) September 9, 2020
Farmers deliver Back British message across regional papers
Farmers across the regions had columns published across a breadth of regional media titles, from James Runciman in Eastern Daily Press, Guy Poskitt in the Yorkshire Post, as well as David Ratcliffe in Western Daily Press andt he front page of the Western Morning News, asking the whole farming community, Westminster and the great British public to unite over the issue of food production standards.
Staffordshire farmer Richard Bower highlights #Back BritishFarming on BBC Breakfast
The NFU's Staffordshire county chairman Richard Bower had the BBC Breakfast crew live on his farm to discuss the impact of extreme weather this year on his wheat harvest and used the platform to encourage MPs to wear their wheat pin lapels on Back British Farming Day. Catch up from around 2hrs 50 mins.
Did you see @NFUStaffs board chairman @rich_bower spoke about #BackBritishFarming Day on @BBCBreakfast this morning? ?? If you missed it, he explained why this year's event is significant and why the NFU is asking all MPs to wear their wheat-pin badge at #PMQs tomorrow ???? pic.twitter.com/FMW1jsa2U7
— National Farmers' Union (@NFUtweets) September 8, 2020