Exports support for farmers and the food and drink industry

By Nicky Godding

15 September 2021

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Nigel Owens MBE, is a world-renowned Rugby Union referee and cattle farmer based in Pontyberem, Wales. Nigel is the proud owner of Herefordshire cows and a strong advocate for sustainable farming. He is partnering with Barclays on its Sustainability Through Agri-Tech campaign, supporting the food system becoming carbon net zero.

The government has announced plans to help the UK’s farmers and food and drink businesses boost exports to mark Back British Farming Day 2021.

The UK agri-food sector contributes around £20 billion in exports each year, yet only 20 per cent of companies sell their goods overseas. The exports initiative announced today will help farmers access the UK’s considerable export potential.

The plans include appointing more dedicated ‘agri-food attaches’ to act as representatives on the ground to unlock key markets across the world and establishing a Food and Drink Exports Council to work collaboratively to expand the UK's food and drink exports strategy.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: "Our farmers are the lifeblood of our nation – producing home grown food and acting as stewards of our natural environment.

"We want people at home and abroad to be lining up to buy British. The support that we have announced today, to mark Back British Farming Day, will enable our farmers and producers to take advantage of new opportunities and fly the flag for UK produce around the world."

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: "Today’s new measures will build the capability of our excellent international teams and having farming experts in post across the world will help our food and drink producers seize the massive new opportunities in the biggest and fastest-growing markets in the world."

NFU President Minette Batters said: "The NFU has long called for significant government investment which enables a partnership approach to international trade opportunities for British farmers. This is a positive step in the right direction and I welcome this new commitment to put people on the ground with the technical expertise to open up new markets. I look forward to seeing more detail on this proposal and working with government to boost our agri-food exports abroad."

By Nicky Godding

Nicky Godding is editor of The Business Magazine. Before her journalism career, she worked mainly in public relations moving into writing when she was invited to launch Retail Watch, a publication covering retail and real estate across Europe.

After some years of constant travelling, she tucked away her passport and concentrated on business writing, co-founding a successful regional business magazine. She has interviewed some of the UK’s most successful entrepreneurs who have built multi-million-pound businesses and reported on many science and technology firsts.

She reports on the region’s thriving business economy from start-ups, family businesses and multi-million-pound corporations, to the professionals that support their growth and the institutions that educate the next generation of business leaders.