Make 2019 the year you back British farming

The Countryside

For me, there are few things more British than the hymn Jerusalem. Even just the first line leaves me with an image of rolling fields and cattle grazing lush green pastures. However, it has become more apparent as I have grown up that fields do not magically look like that. Instead, it takes the careful management of farmers and their ruminant livestock to produce such an idyllic view.

So when thinking about the importance of supporting British farming, I instantly put maintaining the countryside right at the top of the list. Not only does the landscape provide habitats in hedgerows for birds and wildlife, but it attracts tourists who boost the local economy of small rural towns and villages.

The crux of it is that without British farmers managing 70% of the land area in the United Kingdom by putting sheep and cattle out to graze, those fields would be overgrown scrub, not quite the picture-perfect countryside that we all know and love.

The Quality and Welfare

It seems silly not to support British farmers when they produce food of such high quality and set the standard not only for the European Union (EU), but the world right on our very doorsteps. Products such as Melton Mowbray Pork Pies, Lakeland Herdwick Lamb and Fal Oysters all have EU protected names and have an international reputation of quality. This quality is present in every stage of the supply chain and is recognised by multiple awarding bodies such as RSPCA Assured, Pasture-Fed Livestock Association and the Marine Stewardship Council.

Animal welfare and quality are two things which go hand in hand. Without good welfare, you do not have such high quality. An example of good animal welfare is a low stocking density something common in free-range systems. This means that sheep or cows out in a field will have a much larger area to graze per animal. As a result, there is less disease and the health of the animals is far better so the amount of intervention when antibiotics are needed is considerably lower.

Why choose New Zealand lamb in the supermarket? When the quality of the British equivalent is equal or even superior to the lamb which has flown half the way around the world to get to your dinner plate. Not only does buying British vastly reduce the environmental impact but the money goes back into the UK economy. The agricultural market is a tough environment for farmers and so by making a conscious effort to always purchase produce with that Union Jack, it ensures farmers get paid for the exceptionally high standard of product they are putting on our tables.

The Experts

I am not saying I know any direct decedents, but farming started in the UK 7000 years ago. There have been monumental changes in this time to bring us to the practices of present-day agriculture, but British farmers are without a doubt the experts in their field. Many farming families such as the Flower family have passed knowledge of working the land down from generation to generation. This is why at Field & Flower we use small-scale farms, traditional farming methods and we hand butcher every cut.

It is a frightening prospect for me that if we do not continue to support British farmers for putting high-quality food on our plates every day of the year, we could lose it. What will happen to those green and pleasant lands that make me feel so nostalgic as I sing Jerusalem? That thought alone is enough for me to know I will always buy British, and I truly hope it is for you too.