Farming aids the economy (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Farming aids the economy

11:35pm Friday 22nd June 2012 in Local

ALTHOUGH hit by atrocious weather the annual Three Counties Show at Malvern proved the British bulldog spirit is alive and well despite the rain and mud, and it also provided further evidence that farming can be part of the country’s economic fight-back.

Leading the battle cry was a prominent local farmer, Simon Quinney, the National Farmers Union vice-president.

Mr Quinney, who farms at Sambourne, near Redditch, was at the show over the weekend and said the big event in the Midlands farming calendar delivered for the industry and showcased the best of farming.

The Farming Delivers for Britain campaign was launched at the end of last month in Westminster and is currently being rolled out around the country at major farming events.

Mr Quinney said: “It’s great to go to a main agricultural show that flies the flag for what the industry has to offer and it really delivers for farming. This type of event sets the standard and should be what show season is all about.”

The campaign was up for discussion in the NFU’s marquee at the show and Mr Quinney said he thought it was going down really well with farmers because it was their campaign.

He added: “Farming Delivers for Britain is also generating good public interest about what we do and what we are contributing. The industry does deliver so much, be that in terms of food production, to the economy, jobs, recruitment and animal welfare or even in terms of countryside access.

“Farmers manage around 70 per cent of land in England and are delivering something really special for British consumers”, added Mr Quinney.

West Midlands’ farmers farm an area of land around 34 times the size of Birmingham to deliver great tasting food and drink for our tables.