Editor’s View: Farmer Choir shows depth of support for UK ag
Hawkstone Farmers Choir © Dymond/Talkback Thames/Shutterstock “How am I gonna be an optimist about this?”
The line repeatedly belted out by the Hawkstone Farmers Choir as they sang their way into the final of Britain’s Got Talent, which will be televised this Saturday (30 May) at 7pm on ITV.
If you’re reading this before the programme goes out – then do consider showing them your support by displaying the window sticker from last week’s magazine and voting as much as possible.
See also: Hawkstone Farmers Choir prepare for big final
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The lyrics above, taken from Bastille’s track “Pompeii”, precisely sum up how a good chunk of farmers are currently feeling – that it is getting harder to find the positives in the day job, but there is still a determination to do so.
So bravo to the choir for going out there to represent agriculture.
To farmers, they are a reminder of how powerful an off-the-farm network can be as one of the ways to help sustain you through tough times at work.
To the general public, they are a visual representation of our industry’s fortitude, and their reception is yet another reminder of how willing the public are to support agriculture at the moment.
It seems to me that the winning formula, most ably demonstrated by Clarkson’s Farm, is to earn the respect of people through entertainment, positivity and good news.
Talk of how tough we have it, and requests for bailouts or special favours – even when they feel valid – should be an absolute last resort as every industry and demographic has a compelling injustice they want rectified.
We have such advantage over most of the rest of industry on delivering that winning formula.
How many other sectors can delight the public by giving them a brilliant day out at their place of work, such as the Open Farm Sunday initiative?
How many other industries can bring the public together for major events to celebrate its unique culture, such as our fantastic county and national shows, or last weekend’s Great British Farm Fest?
I know what some of you are thinking… none of these in isolation tackle our acute or long-running problems.
They won’t make fertiliser affordable, stop the remorseless advance of consolidation or prevent the sun drying crops to a crisp.
Goodwill
But just because the effect of it is hard to measure does not mean it isn’t present.
It is giving every farmer establishing a direct-to-consumer business a head start. It will tip marginal decisions in our favour at a local government level, such as in planning committees.
And it is storing goodwill that will earn us the right to be listened to nationally when we do need to mobilise the support of the public to rally to a cause that is in our mutual interest.
Taken together, that is a powerful, positive narrative to draw upon in these times and one that we should all consider supporting.
For those of us facing into a downturn at the moment, especially the dairy, pig and cereal sectors, I acknowledge it is not easy to tap into that Farmers Choir mindset, put on a smile and do something positive.
But periods such as these are when optimism matters the most – and it’s most easily rekindled when working together.