She writes:
There has been a significant sea-change in the public’s perception of farming and food production in the past 15 years as Red Tractor and the NFU’s Back British Farming campaign strive to give shoppers more information about where their food comes from.
As farmers we have always been good at standing up for our industry, but we haven’t always been as good at telling people why the public should support us.
Without a doubt, that is changing, and with food now forming such a focal point for the media, in people’s social lives and even at a global security level, the importance of where food comes from has never been such a talking point.
When the public has the chance to engage with us about how their food is produced, it’s a golden opportunity to persuade them to buy our produce.
This year Red Tractor is having a real push on arming farmers with the tools they need to take our messages to the public. At the NFU’s Conference in Birmingham in February, we launched a fantastic new Marketing Tool Kit which aims to do just that.
The stand-out component is a Red Tractor-branded Massey Ferguson MF7726 which can be booked by farmers who are hosting events or attending shows throughout the year. We’ve had a huge amount of interest from farmers so act now and get in touch quickly if you are interested.
More of our blogs...
- What's in a name when it comes to Tesco branding? - Head of food and farming, Phil Bicknell
- April is the cruelest month - NFU Vice President Guy Smith on BPS
- Supporting dairy farmers through the tough decisions ahead - Chief dairy adviser Sian Davies
- Can we continue to grow oilseed rape in the UK? - NFU plant health expert Emma Hamer
- What could we learn from the Spanish supply chain? - Food chain adviser Christine McDowell
The tractor is entirely free to hire out, and will create an eye-catching centrepiece to any event. Alongside the tractor, we have also made a range of materials available to farmers, such as key rings, banners, farm signs and magnetic shopping notepads.
They will all help you to explain to the public about the comprehensive standards of animal welfare, food traceability and safety that are employed on Red Tractor assured farms.
- You can book the tractor for your event by emailing bWVtYmVyaGVscEByZWR0cmFjdG9yLm9yZy51aw== but demand is expected to be strong, so please act sooner rather than later.
- All the other marketing materials can be ordered online here, or by calling 020 3617 3670.
Getting out there: A 15-strong group of Welsh farmers recently travelled to London to show city children how their food is produced.