A Combinable Crops Vision project has been launched by the British National Farmers Union (NFU) at Cereals 2006 today.
NFU Combinable Crops Board Chairman Arthur Hill and President Peter Kendall gave details of the Vision project including its long-term view of arable farmers, what the future for the arable sector may look like and what farmers want and what they can deliver over the next 15 years.
Mr Hill said: “The NFU Combinable Crops Board is in a unique position to develop and build an industry vision for arable farming.
“This vision will help put arable farmers on the front foot in policy decisions and give the industry and Government an agenda to work towards to ensure a sustainable future.”
The Vision document looks at four key areas including the market place, resources, Government and regulation and the environment. With arable farming moving towards being unsupported within the next 15 years, the NFU Vision is looking for ways to support the future of the arable industry.
NFU President Peter Kendall said: “I am a firm advocate of smart solutions and the technological innovations in the industry tell me the arable sector can and will play a significant part in both fuelling people with food but also with providing our apparently insatiable thirst for energy.
“I have engaged the new Minister at Defra David Miliband in what ‘farming has to offer’ and part of this ‘offer’ is the delivery of a UK biofuels industry. Farmers are up to the challenge of providing renewable energy in an environmentally responsible way and we are looking to the Government to provide leadership and long-term commitment. I am immensely proud to be part of a sector that appears to be so up to the challenges ahead.”
Combinable Crops Vision Project: http://www.nfu.org.uk/documents/gg01a0012%20Vision%20Consultation.doc
The Vision document is being opened out for consultation to: farmers, traders, suppliers, retailers, Defra, HGCA, energy and environment and the science community are invited to contribute.
The document will be updated every two to three years to ensure its goals remain relevant.
