Food and farming needs to be a priority for all parties ahead of the general election, the NFU has said as the Conservative Party conference gets underway.
The union said today (2 October) that it was 'more important than ever' for political parties to back British food and farming.
All parties should 'carefully consider' the long-term future of the industry and how they would help boost homegrown food production.
UK food security has rarely been more prominent than in the past few years following challenges such as Brexit, the pandemic and the Ukraine war.
Farmers have also had to endure soaring production costs, global market instability, extreme bouts of weather and delays to new farm payments.
At this year’s party conferences, including Labour's which takes place in Liverpool on 8 October, the NFU said it would be showcasing why farming needs to be a priority.
The union currently has a presence at the ongoing Conservative conference in Manchester, where delegates can pledge their commitment to British farmers.
NFU President Minette Batters said it was 'more important than ever' for political parties to back the industry.
"This is a sector which forms the backbone of our rural communities, our much-loved countryside and our food and drink industry," she said.
“Party conferences are a chance for the NFU to showcase all that British farming delivers, but also for MPs, peers, councillors and party members to show their support for a sector which gives so much to the nation.
“With a general election fast approaching, all parties need to carefully consider the long-term future of farming and how they will help boost homegrown food production.”
The recent Liberal Democrat conference saw the party pledge to provide an extra £1 billion into Defra's budget if it were to achieve power.
The funding would be used to support farmers in their move away from BPS, encouraging them to sign up to the UK's new agri-environmental schemes.
