Forward of the following basic election, the Nationwide Farmers’ Union (NFU) has urged all political events to assist insurance policies which again British meals and farming in its newly revealed manifesto.
Analysis carried out by Extra in Frequent and commissioned by the NFU leads the manifesto, with the NFU stating that’s “demonstrates how a lot meals and farming issues to voters within the run as much as the overall election”. A complete of two,135 adults have been surveyed between 14th and sixteenth October 2023, discovering “robust urge for food” for Authorities assist of British meals.
The analysis confirmed that:
- 84% of respondents assume meals manufacturing targets are both as necessary or extra necessary than environmental targets for farming
- 82% say it could be a good suggestion for the Authorities to set targets to extend British meals manufacturing.
- 66% assume that the events’ plans on farming will likely be one of many points that impacts who they vote for on the subsequent basic election
- 66% assume {that a} dedication to a long-term plan for meals and farming will likely be an necessary think about who they vote for on the subsequent election.
A key ask outlined inside the manifesto calls on the following Authorities to match the prevailing target-led ambitions for the surroundings and local weather mitigation with related ambitions for Britain’s meals safety, by additionally setting targets for meals manufacturing.
The manifesto calls on Authorities to match current goal led ambitions for the surroundings and local weather mitigation by setting targets for meals manufacturing.
President of the NFU Minette Batters mentioned: “All our analysis reveals that the British folks actually worth our farmers and growers for the work they do day-in, day-out to feed the nation. Their assist has been very important in the course of the turbulence of the previous few years with the Covid pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, the cost-of-living disaster and rising durations of drought and flooding.
“Consumers need to have the ability to go right into a grocery store and have the choice to purchase high quality, high-welfare, environmentally-friendly meals and we all know the supply and affordability of meals is excessive on folks’s minds. However with meals manufacturing below rising stress – not least from report manufacturing prices and the largest shake up in agricultural coverage since 1947 – we’d like insurance policies in place that assist British farming, with all Whitehall departments creating coverage by means of the lens of meals manufacturing.”
Batters mentioned: “We all know that the agricultural vote will likely be necessary on this election, however it’s clear that throughout the nation, folks residing in cities and cities additionally need to know the way events plan to spice up sustainable, home-grown meals manufacturing in addition to look after the surroundings and deal with local weather change. And our knowledge reveals it can affect who they vote for on the poll field.
“As a rustic, there are a number of priorities and challenges, and this manifesto reveals that meals safety should be one among them, with our farm companies supported to take a position and develop for the good thing about everybody.
“We should not fall into the lure that we are able to merely import our meals wants from different nations – we’ve seen that method fail earlier than with empty grocery store cabinets and we all know there may be robust public opinion towards importing meals from elsewhere produced in ways in which could be unlawful right here. That’s why we’re asking for targets for British meals manufacturing, simply because the Authorities has rightly legislated for targets on the surroundings, inexperienced power and local weather change. Meals must be given the identical standing.
“Alongside producing improbable meals, we’re the custodians of our iconic countryside and farm companies are sometimes the beating coronary heart of rural communities. We offer jobs for greater than 4 million folks and contribute billions to the financial system. Add that to inexperienced, renewable gas, pure fibre and a vibrant flower-growing sector, British farmers ship a lot for the nation.”
Batters concluded: “What farmers, growers and the general public want now’s to see sensible and progressive insurance policies coming from all political events that are investing in a future the place British meals and farming can thrive.”
The manifesto will be considered right here.
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