Public support for farming grows after Open Farm Sunday visit

Farmers who invite the public on to their farms are having a huge impact on changing people’s views on agriculture, according to a survey by LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming).

Of people questioned, 92% said they appreciated more the work farmers do after visiting a farm during the 2018 LEAF Open Farm Sunday (OFS) event, which was held on 10 June.

In addition, 86% said they felt more connected to farmers who produced their food, and 78% said they were now proactively looking to buy British food.

See also: Open Farm Sunday – the numbers and photos

More than a quarter of farmers (26%) who took part in Open Farm Sunday last year did so for the first time. The event attracted 290,000 visitors to farms across the UK from Jersey to Orkney.

“There is a high level of interest in food production, but unfortunately we have seen a lot of misinformation about farming in the media,” said LEAF OFS manager Annabel Shackleton.

“When farmers engage with the public, people can see for themselves the care and attention that goes into growing quality, nutritious crops and the high levels of animal welfare.”

Register for 2019

Organisers are urging more farmers to sign up for the event in 2019, which will take place on 9 June.

The theme is “get closer to farming”, focusing on the people involved – the farming families, the teams of technical experts across the UK involved in producing food, managing the countryside and natural resources.

To register for LEAF Open Farm Sunday 2019 visit www.farmsunday.org or call the team on 02476 413911.