Countryside Alliance - love the countryside

Your countryside is the nation’s larder, which means that British farmers and producers should be championed.

It’s a fact

British farmers produce enough beef and lamb for over 500 million Sunday roasts every year.

Why we care

While the farming community understands that there is a need to adapt to a changing global market, there is a strong feeling that the UK Government displays contempt for the sector as a whole and the contribution it makes to the rural economy and environment. Change for the better is to be encouraged, but change that destroys the fabric of a nation must be resisted. We will continue to promote the sustainable and productive use of the land for both traditional food farming and non-food crops.

The Countryside Alliance believes:

 Given the accelerating decline in self-sufficiency, the Government should base its farming policies on the strategic need for food, energy and water. More on this...

 EU food labelling legislation is needed to give the consumer better knowledge of welfare and origin, exposing the hypocrisy of cross-border animal welfare standards. More on this...

 Commercially driven marketing co-operatives should be encouraged as a means of redressing the balance between primary producer and the food retailers. More on this...

 Small-scale producers should be allowed to flourish in a fair environment, adding to local diversity and reducing food miles. More on this...

 The marketing and promotion of specialist food products, such as game or cheese, should be closely integrated into regional tourism strategies. More on this...