Farron champions future farmers
Speaking at the annual National Farmers Union conference, Farron urged the upcoming generation of farmers to be proud of their professions and pick up the plough.
Joined by fellow Cumbrian MPs, Farron affirmed young farmers, stressing that their futures matter. Advancing technology together with a rapid increase in food demand has led farming back to centre stage but inflexible routes into farming are discouraging young farmers from taking up the reigns. Farron aimed to combat the number of young farmers falling away from farming.
Tim called for the UK to have a food production strategy to ensure that we are able to feed our country in the future as demand for food is set to double over the next 40 years, while the Government has sat idly by as UK food production capacity has dropped by a quarter.
The National Farmers Union is the largest body representing the interests of the U.K agriculture industry. It aims to provide a strong and unified voice for farmers, growers, professionals and students who are affected by industry and policy decisions taken at the highest levels.
The NFU's annual conference brought together experts and key players in industry and Government to discuss the breaking issues facing the farming industry. Defra Secretary of State Jim Paice and European Commissioner Dacian Ciolos were among those also addressing punters, who were given the chance to grill decision makers on everything from sheep tagging to food security.
Commenting, Tim said: "It's a privilege to speak to the farmers of the future - it's not just the future of farming that's in their hands, it's all of our futures. We will be relying on them to meet our most basic need - food, and to carry forward the U.K's farming industry into a changing world. I am fully confident that the skills and talent of this new generation will go above and beyond what is needed to meet the challenge that rising populations and climate change brings - and I am committed to helping them get into and remain in farming."