Flying the flag for Shropshire food and farming
Shropshire Show left me in fairly buoyant mood, meeting farmers and seeing the quality in the livestock lines as well as sampling some excellent county farm produce.
The show, despite the drizzle, once again pulled people to it and it is always a good start to the season - we are very much looking forward to Oswestry, Newport, Burwarton and the others that are ahead.
Shropshire farmers at the county show set the tone and there was a great standard of stock, which is something the industry should be rightly proud of, given these uncertain Brexit days.
At Shrewsbury the union also launched its regional Home-grown Heartland campaign and we would urge farmers and agri-businesses to speak with us and get involved.
The website can be found on the right-hand side of the West Midlands NFU homepage at www.nfuonline.com on the internet.
The campaign puts farmers at its core - Shropshire farmers at the heart of the country feeding the nation and it will showcase the food we grow and rear, the story behind production and demonstrate the value of the region’s farm-to-table supply chain.
It is aimed at shoppers and decision makers, putting the spotlight on our credentials for quality, traceable and affordable food, produced to exceptionally high standards.
Brexit has certainly been a driver but there was also a need to flag up West Midlands farming and what those in Shropshire also contribute to the economy, to jobs, communities and the farmed environment.
We’re at a critical time for the industry and there is still much work to be done with Brexit and everything else - TB, dealing with the Rural Payments Agency, helping the police tackle rural crime, fighting for better broadband, safeguarding crop protection products and much more.
A strong, united NFU is vital at this time, there’s never been a better time to get involved in the discussion and debate and additional voices and members will add to our extensive lobbying efforts.
The county is rural but even in the heart of our towns you’re just a fridge or cupboard door away from food, drink or ingredients produced on a farm just down the road.
Good quality, safe and traceable British food is a public right and a public good for generations to come.
In order to keep delivering for the country, farm businesses need to be productive, profitable and resilient to volatility.
This must be at the forefront of Government policy if we are to have a farming sector that feeds us, cares for our countryside and delivers economic benefits.
Oliver Cartwright, West Midlands NFU
