Putting farming at the heart of the Referendum story

In the first 36 hours post-vote the NFU media team secured coverage in 232 news outlets.  The coverage came at no cost to the NFU but industry experts valued the work at more than £300,000.

NFU President Meurig Raymond spoke to the Financial Times, Press Association, the Mail on Sunday and Farmers Weekly and Farmers Guardian, while Deputy President Minette Batters featured on BBC radio and in a number of print titles including the Mail on Sunday. Dairy board chairman Michael Oakes was on Radio 5 Live and NFU Council member Michael Sly was interviewed by Nick Robinson as part of the live BBC News coverage.

A relentless day for our officeholders had begun with Vice President Guy Smith at Clacton Leisure Centre for Sky News at 3.30am. He followed up on BBC Radio 4’s Farming Today programme.

“We’re going to need effective representation from now on, it’s time to roll up our sleeves and make sure we get a good deal for British agriculture," he told listeners.

Guy also spoke to BBC World Service and BBC Suffolk.

As the declarations poured in and the outcome became apparent, NFU members and staff across the country gave reaction from the grass roots. County adviser Andrew Wilson was on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Andrew Brown was interviewed by BBC Northampton and Shropshire chairman Richard Yates spoke to the BBC in his patch. East Anglia regional director Rob Sheasby told ITV Anglia that British agriculture must not be disadvantaged. From York and regional director Adam Bedford to county chairman Chris Cardell, on BBC Radio Cornwall, the NFU’s messages were heard right across the UK.

Our reaction to the Referendum vote continued to make news through the weekend, with the Daily Mail, Guardian, Independent and the Mail on Sunday quoting Meurig Raymond or Minette Batters on potential food price increases.

The Daily Telegraph also heard from Meurig as he called for subsidy support equal to that given by the EU, while NFU representatives were often to be seen across local media, including regional directors Adam Bedford in the Hull Daily Mail and Robert Sheasby in the Ipswich Star, Council member David Brookes on BBC Midlands Today, Cumbria chairman David Raine on ITV Border, NFU Dorset branch chair Trevor Cligg in the Bournemouth Echo  and James Small, NFU Somerset chairman, in the Western Morning News.

At the start of the week, NFU President Meurig Raymond appeared in a Guardian article looking at the impact on the EU migrant workforce, and James Small spoke to Farmers Guardian about the need for a British agricultural policy. NFU members Stephen Carr, Robert Law and Michael Seals were in Monday's Times calling on the Treasury to match the current level of EU subsidies that farmers receive.

The EU continued to dominate the midweek media, with NFU President Meurig Raymond featuring in Countryfile magazine, and NFU representatives including Carl Hudspith and Sandra Nichols continuing to speak on behalf of our members.