The presidents of the four farming unions have described their shared ambitions for the future of farming in the UK, while calling on politicians to get behind them.
NFU Cymru president John Davies, NFU president Minette Batters, NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick and Ulster Farmers’ Union president Ivor Ferguson addressed a conference in Wales, where they discussed their values and ideals for the agriculture industry.
The four met at the NFU Cymru Conference 2018, at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells, yesterday, Thursday November 1.
The discussion was part of a programme entitled ‘UK: A nation united by farming’; part of the wider conference, which this year was titled ‘Ambition for Growth’.
Today we stand here as the four presidents of the UK farming unions presenting a united front on behalf of farmers from across the UK.
Speaking about the purpose of the meeting, John Davies said: “With less than 150 days before the UK leaves the European Union, we are calling on politicians and negotiators from all sides to follow our lead and come together to work towards a solution that ensures we can continue to trade freely with our closest neighbours.”
Meanwhile, Minette Batters said: “Coming together at today’s NFU Cymru Conference provides an important opportunity for the four UK unions to collaborate and further highlight our joint values.
“Together we share a vision and ambition to drive our industry forward, capitalising on the opportunities that lie ahead and facing any challenges head on,” she also said.
As UK farmers we are united by the food that we produce. The pride held by every farmer in the UK when it comes to their role as food producers and putting food on people’s plates is something that brings us all together.
Speaking of the road ahead for UK farming, Ivor Ferguson said: “We are now entering a time of unprecedented change which presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape the future of agriculture in the United Kingdom.
“The UK farm unions collectively have a vision of a productive, progressive, sustainable and, most importantly, profitable farming sector, and we want to work with the Government and other industry partners to realise this,” he added.
