FARMERS, industry members and MPs celebrated the national Back British Farming Day on Wednesday.

Now in it's fifth year, Wednesday was billed to provide a focus to celebrate British farming values and highlight its importance to the UK economy. As part of its campaign the NFU said British food and farming contributes over £120 billion to the UK economy each year and employs four million people.

This year's celebration gives farmers an opportunity to promote British farmers commitment to high production standards, building on the success of the NFU's food standards campaign which was backed by over a million people.

Hexham's MP celebrated the day on Twitter by praising local farmers.

He said: "#Northumberland’s farmers are so important to our local community, and have worked hard during the Covid pandemic to fill our plates, and keep us fed so I, and many others, want to say thank you.

"It is also about managing our iconic landscapes like the farms who are part of the Northern Hill Farming Panel and higher level stewardship areas of South Northumberland that I visited with the

RSPB a few years back.

 

 

"And landscapes have to be managed to ensure Hadrian's Wall survives through farmers fields and the curlew and plovers on our uplands and moorlands survive and thrive."

However, earlier this year, Mr Opperman came under criticism from the chairman of Northumberland NFU after he supported the Government’s Agriculture Bill.

Simon Bainbridge, who farms at Cambo, feared that the legislation could mean UK farmers were undercut by US farmers working to lower food standards.

In response, Mr Opperman assured the district’s farmers that food safety and high animal welfare standards will be at the heart of new UK legislation.