A campaign is calling upon young farmers to help promote British food to consumers in a series of activities planned for the build-up to Easter.
The Love British Food campaign is calling on young farmers to push the 'British Food' brand, its standards and message.
Fourteen young farmers are leading the campaign: Richard Bower, Milly Fyfe, Ed Ford, Georgie Gater-Moore, Luke Winton, Hannah Binns, Ethan Kinney, Katie Smith, Chris Manley, Linsey Martin, Mary Ankers, Jack Hodgeson, Josh Dowbiggin and Harriet Wilson.
Co-op Farming Pioneers will be taking part and NFYFC is supporting.
Alexia Robinson, founder of Love British Food, explains: “If ‘British Food’ was a brand like any other it would have a TV and marketing campaign telling consumers about the superb standards of British food and promoting the buy British message.
“It is not; but what it does have is a network ‘army’ of superb, inspirational, young farmers across the country who are increasingly taking it upon themselves to do what they can to promote their industry whether via social media or through the deep reach they have in their communities."
'My name is...'
Activities kick off this Spring with a ‘My name is…’ social media campaign in the build-up to Easter, the next major food shopping decision-making time for consumers.
Love British Food is calling upon young farmers to post a photograph of themselves and their farm on Twitter and Instagram saying very simply what they produce and highlighting a high standard they adhere to.
Using the hook ‘My name is…’ and hashtags #BritishFoodisGreat #LoveBritishFood, the aim is to make the link between farmers, food producers and top quality British food.
Celebrity farmers are being invited to post ‘My name is…’ messages in support.
Ms Robinson said: “We want to tap into their energy and get them all to be walking, talking advertisements for British food.”
Richard Bower, youngest ever candidate for Vice President at the NFU and a young farmer from Staffordshire said: “I am incredibly passionate about British food and farming and really looking forward to encouraging other young farmers to shout about what they are doing around the UK.
“We should all be proud to be involved with the British food industry and this campaign will really help promote what we do.”
Autumn campaign
The campaign extends into the Autumn when young farmers will be challenged to do ONE thing during British Food Fortnight, 22nd Sept – 7th Oct, to promote British food.
This could be as simple as posting a tweet or displaying a banner at farm gate; or, for the more ambitious, standing outside food shops on the high street or by meat aisles or in supermarket car parks wearing ‘British Food is Great’ t-shirts and explaining to people why they should buy British; visiting their local school to give a talk; or helping a local establishment, such as their local pub, set up a new British supply chain.
Love British Food is working with the 14 young farmer leaders and the NFYFC to create a menu of options, from the simple to the more challenging, that will be a call to action for young farmers across the country to choose from.
