Our #BackBritishFarming New Year's resolution calendar was designed to help people learn more about the benefits of eating a balanced diet of British meat and seasonal fruit and vegetables while also enjoying the farmed environment responsibly.
Since 31 December, when we launched our New Year resolution campaign, more than 1.4 million people have seen a positive British farming social media post. This has translated into 49,000 likes and 12,000 shares and retweets.
On Facebook, the NFU’s best post in January (below) saw nearly 2,000 people like it and a further 2,000 people share it.
Make a New Year's resolution that matters in 2021 ?????? Sign up to find out how http://ow.ly/ubuK50CXEBW
Posted by NFU Online on Thursday, 31 December 2020
During January we've also landed:
- A column from NFU President Minette Batters in Speciality Food reaching those working in food service, catering and public procurement
- A letter from NFU Deputy President Stuart Roberts in Farmers Guardian and another to The Times about sustainable diets.
We’ll also have content in Country Life, Farmers Weekly and The House, which is delivered to all MPs and peers.
If you are proud of British food and farming you can get involved today by sharing our industry's brilliant story. Here are some simple things you can do now:
♦ Click here for our new range of infographics which you can download to use in your posts for Facebook and Twitter
♦ Click here for our interactive calendar encouraging the public to take the Back British Farming New Year's resolution and take simple actions every day in January
Share your positive farming stories using the #BackBritishFarming hashtag on social media. Click on the links below to see examples of how we're using our social media channels to encourage the public to take the Back British Farming New Year's resolution and take simple actions every day in January.
Here are some ideas you could use in your social media posts:
- "I am proud to produce climate-friendly food. When you buy British produce, you're supporting farmers like me who are committed to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040."
- "I am proud to keep the nation fed with high quality produce. When you eat a balanced, seasonal diet made up of all the different food groups, you nourish your body with the nutrients and minerals that our bodies need at that time of year."
- "I care about my animals, that’s why I am proud to rear my animals to some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world."
- "When you buy British, you’re supporting the 3.8 million people who are employed by the food and farming sector, from farmers in the field like me to the restaurants and pubs who sell our food."
- "Alongside producing food, I’m proud to protect and enhance the beautiful British countryside by maintaining habitats, looking after footpaths and much more."
Download and share our infographics
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
The #BackBritishFarming New Year's resolution
We're asking members of the public to do one simple thing to back British farming each day this January.
Click here or on the image below to download our interactive calendar of campaign actions as a PDF that you can share.
More information and resources
Click on the links below for more information and resources. You may be asked to log in to access some of the pages. If you need any help, then click on this link to reset your password.
Social media and shooting videos
Livestock
Poultry
Dairy
Climate-friendly farming and net zero
Bovine TB
How to lobby your MP
How to complain to the media
Social media and how to shoot the perfect video
If you need help on social media or taking videos to share on social media then get some top tips here.
Livestock
Poultry
- Download our poultry infographics.
- Aimed at children, our Eggucation worksheets include questions about the laying capabilities of commercial hens while encouraging e children to look out for the Red Lion stamp while shopping. Download our Eggucation worksheets.
Our Talking Turkey worksheet aims to support turkey farmers in teaching the general public all about British turkeys. The worksheets include questions about UK turkey production, where to buy a British turkey from as well as an activity to encourage children to think about the bird's welfare needs. Download our Talking Turkey worksheet.
Dairy
- Download our dairy infographics.
- Download our public-facing mythbuster.
Directory: This member-facing, comprehensive directory of evidence-based facts and figures adds depth and context to the key messages communicated through the Mythbuster above. Aimed at members to share in public engagements, with vital concepts distilled into template tweets and other soundbites to be shared via other social media to promote the industry. Download the Directory here.
Climate-friendly farming and net zero
- Visit our net zero pages and add yourself to our Pledge Map. The map is anonymous and only zooms into 10km. The map shows how many farms are making positive steps on their net zero journeys.
- Download the NFU's public-facing climate friendly farming leaflet containing facts about British meat production.
Bovine TB
How to lobby your MP
- Inviting MPs to visit your farm.
- Engaging with urban MPs.
For more information on lobbying your MP, call the NFU's external affairs team on 020 7808 6600. You might also speak with your local Group Secretary to find out if there are any plans to meet with your local MP as a group in the near future. Your regional NFU office can also assist with arranging these visits (find your regional office here).
How to complain to the media
- Our guide sets out how people can register official complaints with broadcasters and newspapers on items or articles which they believe are misleading, factually incorrect or are examples of unbalanced reporting - download it here.
- This letter is a great example (9 November, 2020). It was written in response to an article in The Guardian about health professions' call for a climate tax to be imposed on food with 'a heavy environmental impact', NFU livestock and dairy board chairmen Richard Findlay and Michael Oakes wrote to the paper explaining why this would be a regressive approach.
How the NFU communicates positive farming stories to the public
- There are over half a million subscribers to our Back British Farming newsletter – find out more.
- Countryside Online is our public-facing website. Why not share the following information pages via your social media accounts?
Get the latest NFU news on your phone or tablet with the NFU App - free and exclusively for NFU members. Don't forget to allow notifications so we can keep you up to date on the go.
