Arla Foods, the farmer-owned dairy company and a principal sponsor of Open Farm Sunday 2016, is anticipating a record number of visitors through the gates of its owners’ farms on farming’s national open day, June 5th.
Arla farmer owners are inviting people on to their farms to understand what goes into their favourite dairy products.
Last year, 44 Arla farmers were involved welcoming over 37,000 visitors and Arla is demonstrating its commitment this year, with around 60 farms set to take part in 2016, hoping to welcome 50,000 people.
Working closely with organiser LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), Arla is proudly taking its place amongst top names from across the food and farming sector, supporting the initiative and highlighting the key role it can play in educating the Great British public about day-to-day life on Britain’s farms.
Arla is supporting the project through a media, social media and advocacy programme, seeking to use the opportunity to highlight the vital work that its farmer owners do on a day-to-day basis in providing dairy for the Great British public.
'Great initiative which highlights hard work of British farmers'
Commenting, Arla farmer owner Roger Hildreth at Curlew Fields Farm in Hessay, North Yorkshire said: "We are incredibly proud to be part of Open Farm Sunday, a great initiative which highlights the hard work of British farmers.
"Visitors to our farms will get a better understanding of life on a farm and helping them make a connection with what we produce on farm with their favourite products in the supermarket.
"Even in a challenging time for farming, in particular dairy, farmers are keen to get involved and put on a great day for the visitors and demonstrate what a fantastic farming industry we have in the UK."
Open Farm Sunday 2016 will take place on 5 June, and will see hundreds of farms across the country opening their gates to welcome the public.
Now in its 11th year, the event has seen over 1.6 million people visit a farm, and the event organiser, LEAF, expects a quarter of a million more visitors nationwide this year.
'Open Farm Sunday is valuable to the whole industry'
Annabel Shackleton, LEAF’s Open Farm Sunday Manager, said: "Open Farm Sunday unites the whole industry.
"We are delighted to have been working with most of our sponsors for many years.
"Their ongoing and long-standing support shows their deep commitment to providing the public with the opportunity to visit a farm, learn more about British agriculture and how it impacts on everyone’s lives."
"The support demonstrates just how valuable Open Farm Sunday is to the industry and the continuing importance of connecting farmers with consumers.
"Our thanks goes to each of our sponsors and we look forward to working together with them to ensure the continued success of Open Farm Sunday."
