NFU President Minette Batters welcomed comments made by the Secretary of State on British farmers being better equipped than anyone to fulfil the national and global demand for high quality food.

The comments came as part of a speech from the Secretary of State for Food and Environment Michael Gove at the NFU Summer Reception which took place yesterday afternoon.

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Download the speeches from NFU President Minette Batters and Secretary of State Michael Gove here (audio file).

The Secretary of State also said he ‘heard, received and understood’ the NFU’s call on Government to uphold the high quality produce that he said was a ‘hallmark of British agriculture’ in post-Brexit trade agreements.

NFU President Minette Batters said: “We welcome the Secretary of State’s recognition of the high standards that British farmers are proud to produce food to and the work that goes into giving everyone a countryside to be proud of.

“Yesterday I made clear to MPs in attendance that we have a vision of productive, thriving, profitable farming businesses that can farm smarter – producing more food for a burgeoning population with less impact. It’s these businesses that can afford to invest in our natural environment.

 “As Michael Gove said yesterday, the health of all of us depends on the health of farming. We have an ambition for British farming to have a clean bill of health post-Brexit, ready to provide every citizen, regardless of income, with access to nutrient-dense, high-welfare, quality and affordable British food.”