The Countryside Restoration Trust (CRT) is welcoming the NFU report ‘British farming: A blueprint for the future’ launched yesterday, and calling on the Government to adopt its recommendations. 

Hayley Neal, Head of Development at the CRT, said: “We need a clear and ambitious vision for British food and farming, as the NFU rightly sets out in its report. Consumers want to buy home grown food, and the CRT supports the ambition to increase British self-sufficiency of food production. This also avoids exporting our carbon footprint overseas. However, the Government must work with farmers to make this vision a reality.” 

Neal concluded: “We support action in three key areas. Firstly, trade deals must back British farmers by ensuring a level playing field on standards. Next, small farmers need extra support to respond to the agricultural transition, so that the Environmental Land Management schemes support the protection of not only wildlife but also people’s livelihoods. Finally, we want to connect communities with where their food comes from and demystify farming. Mosaic, our education programme for primary school students helps achieve this, but we want more people to be able to confidently access the countryside.” 

ENDS 

Notes to Editors 

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