By Aimee Mahony, chief poultry advisor, NFU
As it’s my first column of 2024 I’d like to begin by wishing you all a very happy new year. It would perhaps be appropriate to reflect on the highs and lows of the previous year, however with this already being well documented, I’ve decided to focus on the future.
It’s imperative that we set the right narrative for the future in terms of the policy landscape and politics will certainly play its part in that with an impending general election. To this end, the NFU has set out its general election manifesto: Farming for Britain’s Future.
Launched in the Houses of Parliament in December 2023, the manifesto outlines our key asks of the next government to ensure that farmers and growers can continue to deliver for the environment, economy, and local communities, all whilst producing more of the great British food the nation enjoys.
The poultry sector has a vital part to play in delivering our vision for the future and we continue to have a great story to tell. I think we have reached a critical point where we need to evaluate how best to communicate our credentials to the public, ensuring that we don’t take for granted all the great things that producers deliver day in and day out.
Food production is critical to the health and wellbeing of the population but also to the food security of the country. Whether we are sustaining production levels or aiming to produce more, we need the government to work together with us to make this possible and maximise potential.
The NFU commissioned a piece of research in October 2023 which provided some interesting results. Over 2,000 adults in England and Wales were asked a series of questions in relation to food and farming. Of particular interest and in relation to the future of the government, 66% of respondents said that they think a commitment to a long-term plan for food and farming will be an important factor in who they vote for in the next election.
The poultry sector will continue to deliver but we need to make sure that we are stronger together to ensure we are demonstrating all that we provide to those who we want to continue purchasing high quality, affordable and nutritious British poultry meat and eggs.