Back British Food This Autumn

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), NFU, Red Tractor and Love British Food are coming together to coordinate events during the Government-named ‘Year of British Food’ including British Food Fortnight, Red Tractor Week and Back British Farming Day, which marks the start of the campaign in September.

Elizabeth Truss, environment secretary said, “Our food industry has so much to be proud of – whether it is the seafood from our spectacular coastline or the world’s most delicious beef, lamb, milk and cheese our farmers bring us from the hills and pastures around the UK. That is why we launched the Year of Great British Food to champion the best of British food at home and abroad. I’m delighted to see our world-leading food and farming industry celebrating British food and drink to help grow our food industry further. With 3.8 million people employed in the food chain we know it is vital for our economic future we make British food and farming all it can be and I am determined to work closely with the farming industry to harness innovation and technology, develop new skills and promote our rich food heritage.”

Minette Batters, deputy president of NFU said, “I’m pleased to see our farming organisations collaborating and coming together to champion great British food and the thousands of farmers and growers who produce it every day of the year. I hope this plan of action will help showcase British food which, as we know, is the best in the world. It is also so important that British farming is recognised for the key role it plays, not only in producing great food but in its contribution to the country’s economy, in creating jobs, as well as the beautiful and diverse rural landscape that attracts millions of tourists every year.”

Alexia Robinson, founder of Love British Food said, “Love British Food is delighted that the whole farming industry is uniting to celebrate British food. We have been doing this on our own since 2002 when British Food Fortnight was founded in response to the foot and mouth crisis that bought farming to its knees. It is great that the whole industry is now working together on a coordinated calendar of events to celebrate British food this autumn.”