Ask most people what farmers do and it is likely they will say that they produce food.
And of course this is their primary and vital job.
Feeding an ever growing nation which is predicted to reach 70 million by mid-2027.
That’s over seven million extra mouths to feed, and as Britain is 60 per cent self sufficient in food, it is important farmers can meet the challenges facing us.
Our farmers invest huge amounts of time, effort and resources to produce quality foods that comply with standards that set them apart from other global producers.
In this country we have some of the best food, with everything from Kentish strawberries to Herefordshire apples and Stilton cheese.
And locally we have more and more farmers promoting their own label foods including Terrick Beef, Potash Farm chickens, Orchard View Farm pork and Richard Pearce’s Christmas turkeys.
Farming delivers for the economy and underpins the country’s food and drink industry.
For every £1 that farming contributes to the UK economy, food manufacturers and wholesalers contribute a further £5.
But in addition to food production, farmers deliver so many other benefits as well.
They work hard to improve the environment, trimming hedges, maintaining footpaths, protecting watercourses and managing wildlife habitats.
And many work towards cleaner energy, harnessing it from the land, the sun and the wind to produce electricity and heat for homes and businesses.