MPs urged to wear specially made pin to support Back British Farming Day

National Farmers Union is urging MPs to show support on Back British Farming Day
National Farmers Union is urging MPs to show support on Back British Farming Day

The farming sector are calling on every MP to show support for local farmers by wearing a specially made lapel pin for Back British Farming Day on Wednesday 14 September 2016.

Made by hand with British wheat and wool, the pins have been sent directly to 649 MPs to wear on the day and during Prime Minister’s Questions.

Over 2km of British wool was dyed and spun to wrap around 3,000 ears of British wheat in the production of the bespoke Back British Farming lapel pins1.

NFU Deputy President Minette Batters said: “British farming has a remarkable story to tell; it provides the raw ingredients for a food and drink industry worth £108 billion to the UK economy and also employs one in eight of the nation’s work force.

"British farming’s production was valued at £25.8 billion with much of it feeding the nation and playing a part in feeding the world.

"Our farmers and growers are proud to produce quality, tasty and affordable food, while looking after the environment and adhering to world-class welfare standards.

"Home-grown food is also something the British public is proud of too – 77% agree that it’s important to support British farming according to government statistics.

"Back British Farming Day, coinciding with the second PMQs of the autumn parliamentary calendar, is the opportunity for MPs to publicly show their support for the nation’s ability to grow its own food and the farmers and rural communities that enable this to happen.”

The British public are encouraged to show their support on Twitter using #backbritishfarming