Farmers in Canterbury took to the streets on Sunday 3rd March to protest against foreign imports of food.
Around 200 farmers partook in the the protest, making up the convoy of farming vehicles used in the “go-slow” demonstration. Placards reading ‘No Farmers, No Food, No Future’ were attached to tractors as part of the protest.
Richard Ash, organiser of the protest, told BBC News: “It doesn’t make sense for us to bus produce, with high carbon footprint, from all over the world to this country, and then not to support and look after our own farming industry.”
The protest was organised by Fairness for Farmers in support of British farmers and produce.
Geoffrey Philpot, a cauliflower farmer in East Kent, said: “My aim is to produce the highest quality, safest, healthiest food for the UK market. We should be banning substandard imports that aren’t held to the same high standards of UK production and can in many cases have chemicals used on them that are banned in the UK.”
A Government spokesperson said: “We firmly back our farmers. British farming is at the heart of British trade, and we put agriculture at the forefront of any deals we negotiate, prioritising new export opportunities, protecting UK food standards and removing market access barriers.
“We’ve maintained the £2.4 billion annual farming budget which supports farmers to produce food profitably and sustainably and are also looking at ways to further improve fairness in the supply chain and support British farmers and growers, as well as ensuring customers have access to high quality fresh British products.”
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said: “Food retailers source, and will continue to source, the vast majority of their food from the UK and know they need to pay a sustainable price to farmers. Given the pressure on British farmers at the moment, retailers are paying more for their produce.
“However, retailers are also facing additional costs and are working incredibly hard to bring down food price inflation at a time when many households are struggling to afford the essentials.
“Retailers ensure customers can choose from a wide range of British produce, all of which is clearly labelled to allow customers to make an informed decision when doing their shopping.”
