MPs Gain Insight into Sustainable Farming Practices through NFU's Food and Farming Fellowship Scheme

Strategic Insights -

A group of lawmakers, including Rushcliffe MP Olly Cartwright, MP for Cannock Chase Josh Newbury, and MP for Ribble Valley Maya Ellis, recently visited a farm in Suffolk to learn about sustainable farming practices. The visit was part of the NFU's Food and Farming Fellowship Scheme, a program launched in partnership with various organizations to showcase the industry and promote sustainable food production.

The MPs toured the farm, which grows wheat, barley, oilseed rape, and beans, and saw firsthand the work that goes into producing food from field to fork. They learned about the farm's environmental successes, including the use of precision methods to optimize fertilizer and crop protection product use, as well as efforts to support biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions.

The group also participated in the Big Farmland Bird Count, a scheme launched in 2014 to record bird species and numbers on farms. The farm, owned by the Barker family since the 1950s and spanning over 500 hectares, has supported the count and hosted it twice, showcasing the vital role farmers play in supporting farmland birds. The farm has also demonstrated impressive biodiversity, with lapwings, skylarks, and turtle doves among the rare bird species regularly seen.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NFU's Food and Farming Fellowship Scheme provides lawmakers with a platform to learn about sustainable farming practices and environmental work.
  • The scheme has been successful in showcasing the industry's efforts to produce food sustainably, with farmers like the Barker family demonstrating their commitment to biodiversity and reducing carbon emissions.
  • The Big Farmland Bird Count has contributed significantly to the conservation of farmland birds, with the scheme encouraging farmers and land managers to record bird species and numbers on their farms.
  • The Barker family farm has been part of the Big Farmland Bird Count since its inception in 2014, demonstrating their long-term commitment to supporting the conservation of farmland birds.
  • The farm has also implemented precision methods to optimize fertilizer and crop protection product use, highlighting the importance of soil health in arable farming.
  • The NFU Combinable Crops Board chair, Jamie Burrows, praised the event as a great example of food production and environmental work going hand-in-hand.

Statistics:

  • The Barker family farm spans over 500 hectares.
  • The farm has supported the Big Farmland Bird Count since its inception in 2014, with the count encouraging farmers and land managers to record bird species and numbers on their farms.
  • The farm has demonstrated impressive biodiversity, with lapwings, skylarks, and turtle doves among the rare bird species regularly seen.
  • The farm has implemented precision methods to optimize fertilizer and crop protection product use, reducing waste and promoting soil health.
  • The NFU's Food and Farming Fellowship Scheme has provided lawmakers with a platform to learn about sustainable farming practices and environmental work.

Sources:

  • [NFU] (no date) Food and Farming Fellowship Scheme. Available at:
  • [Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust] (no date) Big Farmland Bird Count. Available at:
  • [Agricultural Industries Confederation] (no date) AIC represents businesses in key sectors within the supply chains that feed the nation. Available at: