Isle of Wight farmers are saying a huge “thank you” to local people for their overwhelming support of the work they do to feed the nation and care for the countryside.
Farmers and growers on the Island marked Back British Farming Day (today) to celebrate food production and the public’s appreciation of a job they have ranked as one of the most important and well-respected professions in the country, second only to nursing - according to a National Farmers Union (NFU) survey.
The public has also backed the call for government to prioritise homegrown food production and legislate to ensure the UK’s self-sufficiency does not drop below its current level of 60%.
Isle of Wight NFU chair Robyn Munt said:
“I am delighted to be taking part in this year's NFU reception at Westminster to raise the profile of Back British Farming Day and to talk about the importance of supporting Isle of Wight farmers by buying locally where possible and choosing to buy British.
"Island farmers work diligently to grow nutritious food, alongside providing habitat for the wealth of species that thrive here, including nationally rare examples such as the Glanville Fritillary butterfly and the Island's iconic red squirrels.
“Whether it be crops for food or for fuelling the Island AD plant, Island farmers work hard to ensure that they can produce these to the high standards that the general public expect in a sustainable way."
Back British Farming Day celebrations started in Westminster with a breakfast reception at the House of Commons with more than 100 MPs in attendance.
At Westminster the MPs were given a wheatsheaf pin badge³, now an emblem of the day, to wear during Prime Minister’s Questions to show their support.
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