| News
LEAF calls on farmers to stand proud on Open Farm
Sunday 2017
‘Open your gates for next year’s
Open Farm Sunday on 11th June and
proudly show the public all that you
achieve and the breadth of goods
and services you deliver.’ That’s the
message to farmers from LEAF
(Linking Environment And Farming),
as registrations for Open Farm
Sunday 2017 open on 1st November.
s the sector is working to
determine what a postreferendum farming industry is
going to look like, there has
never been a more critical time
for farmers to demonstrate the
vital role they play in delivering a wide range of
public goods, beyond food production. This
includes managing the countryside, its wildlife,
our natural resources such as water, air and
soil, and contributing to a stable climate and
resilience to flooding.
Caroline Drummond, Chief Executive of
LEAF explains: “Open Farm Sunday provides
the perfect platform for farmers to shine a light
on what they deliver and why supporting British
farming matters. Everyone can and should get
involved in Open Farm Sunday, regardless of
the type or size of farm and help the public
discover the world of farming.”
A
To help more farmers host an event, LEAF is
developing a new programme of webinars,
blogs, Q&A sessions and case studies to give
farmers the knowledge, ideas and confidence
to invite the public onto their farm. A team of
eight Open Farm Sunday Regional Coordinators and LEAF staff are on hand to
support farmers.
As the go-to organisation delivering
sustainable farming, LEAF is developing activity
ideas and resources to help host farmers show
the public what sustainable farming is all about.
Annabel Shackleton, LEAF’s Open Farm
Sunday Manager added, “Farming is a sector
which impacts on all our lives, yet so many
people know so little about it. From our
research it is clear that Open Farm Sunday is
helping to bridge the gap between farming and
the public.
This year’s visitor feedback highlighted that
one in five had never visited a farm before and
nearly 90% of them learnt something new about
farming and food production during their visit.”
“All farmers can get involved - whether
hosting a farm walk for 20 or more neighbours,
or opening for hundreds of visitors, each event
is equally important. LEAF’s Open Farm
Sunday will have an increasingly important role
in the industry’s public engagement activities
as we face a new, challenging, yet exciting era
as we prepare to leave the European Union.”
For more information on how to get involved
or to register an Open Farm Sunday event from
1st November, visit www.farmsunday.org. To
keep up to date on Twitter follow
@OpenFarmSunday, @LEAF_Farming and
@AnnabelOFS
Ian Bell, Chief Executive, Addington Fund
08 | Farming Monthly | November 2016
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk