NFU Campaign aims to improve farmer/motorist relations
An NFU sticker campaign aims to build understanding between motorists and slow-moving farm machinery during harvest time.
As part of its Back British Farming campaign, the NFU has created large stickers that can be applied to the bodywork of farm vehicles including trailers, tractors and combine harvesters.
The red stickers carry a Union flag and the words “Thank you for backing British farming as we deliver the nations’ food”.
They aim to help motorists understand why slow-moving farm vehicles are on roads during harvest time, and encourage them to be patient.
See also: Opinion: A message to motorists stuck behind my tractor
“August is the main harvest period when farmers are doing a vital job, gathering in the nation’s food,” said Laurence Matthews, NFU South East crops board chairman.
“We know that motorists get very frustrated by slow-moving farm vehicles, a problem that gets worse during harvest.
“August is the main harvest period when farmers are doing a vital job, gathering in the nation’s food.”
Laurence Matthews
“However, we believe these NFU stickers will help motorists connect the farm vehicles they see with the food on their plates. Hopefully, drivers will perhaps be more patient as these stickers thank people for backing British farming.”
Farmers Weekly columnist and Hertfordshire farmer Ian Pigott is one of many farmers who is proudly displaying the stickers on his farm machinery. Mr Pigott has posted a picture on his Twitter account showing the stickers fixed to his farm vehicles with the message: “Well done and thank you NFU for #backbritishfarmingsigns.”
While farmer and chairman of the NFU Isle of Wight Caroline Knox (pictured below) has attached posters to her trailers used on her farm.
NFU members can request free stickers by emailing campaigns@nfu.org.uk – citing their full name and address (or membership number) and the number of stickers required.
Farmers are asked to tweet a picture to @NFUtweets once they have applied a sticker to a vehicle, using the hashtag #backBritishfarming