NFU launches green campaign

THE NFU has launched a new campaign which aims to show the public how farmers are protecting the countryside and environment.

Making Green Ground aims to raise the profile of environmental issues in agriculture.

It follows independent research commissioned by the union which shows that the public do see farmers as having a key role as custodians of the countryside.

But the research, carried out by Opinion Leader Research, also demonstrates that farmers need to be more vocal about what they do for the environment.

“It is clear that the public want farmers to carry on maintaining the countryside, but it is up to us as an industry to explain exactly how we do this,” said president Tim Bennett.

“Making Green Ground will celebrate the good work that farmers already do and also look forward to the challenge of building a sustainable future.”

The union has produced a fact sheet which sets out farming‘s contribution to managing and protecting the environment.

It points out key points such as the fact that farmers have planted enough trees since 1992 to fill 70,000 football pitches.

The union is hoping that members will use the facts in the leaflet to arm consumers and the media with positive points about agriculture‘s contribution to the countryside.