Farming

How can CPRE help to ensure a safe future for farming?

As an influential campaigning organisation, CPRE is in a unique position to help farmers have a voice. When we asked our interviewees what CPRE could be doing to ensure a safe future for farming, these were the most common responses:

We should campaign for and work towards:

•  greater EU and government funding security for farmers
•  educating the general public on farming and farming issues
•  clearer communication about schemes and initiatives
•  increased grants for diversification projects
•  initiatives to decrease the impact of global markets & reduce food miles
•  self-sufficiency of food-production in the UK
•  realistic prices for farm produce
•  reduced farm rents
•  greater support for biofuels

What can you do to help?

We also asked interviewees what our members can do to ensure a safe future for farming. By doing the following you to can help:

•  Buy your food locally from farm-shops (e.g. www.bigbarn.co.uk), farmers markets ( www.farmersmarkets.net ) and locally sourced foods in supermarkets
•  Encourage supermarkets to source food locally
•  Encourage your friends, families and colleagues to buy locally
•  Support businesses based in farm properties and the local rural economies
•  Try to understand and support farmers' planning applications for diversification projects
•  Enjoy the countryside and all of the recreational schemes that Sussex farms have to offer

Research participants

We would like to thank everyone who took part in, or helped with, our research; the 217 local farmers who completed the questionnaire and the five farmers who gave up their valuable time for our interviews .

Useful links:-

The National Farmers Union - www.nfuonline.com

Defra - www.defra.gov.uk

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