LEAF Open Farm Sunday continues to drive public engagement with farming

• Following a year in which LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) has encouraged thousands of people to join virtual farm tours across the country, the sustainable farming organisation has reported that over 100 farms opened their gates on 27th June for LEAF Open Farm Sunday 2021 – farming’s annual open day

For the first LEAF Open Farm Sunday since June 2019, thousands of people took the opportunity to visit a working farm and see first-hand all that is involved in the sustainable production of the food they eat and what farmers do to look after the wider environment. Given the current Covid regulations, less farms than usual chose to open, with pre-booking a key requirement to limit visitor numbers, but this did not diminish the enthusiasm farmers put in to sharing their farming stories and showcasing British farming. Most farms offered socially-distanced farm walks or guided tours, giving visitors a great opportunity to talk directly with farmers and enjoy a really personal experience of farming.

Caroline Drummond, LEAF Chief Executive, said: “A huge thank you to all the farmers who opened their gates on Sunday.  LEAF’s ‘Take 30’ campaign to encourage farmers to take small groups of 30 on a farm walk clearly resonated really well.  Of the farms that opened, 1 in 3 did so for the first time, so it was wonderful to welcome some new farmers into the LEAF Open Farm Sunday family.  We also really appreciated the feedback we’ve had from farmers who, for a variety of reasons, chose not to open this June, but sent messages of support.  Many of them have indicated that they plan to open again in 2022 and we’re already looking forward to next year.”

“It has never been more important that we continue to raise awareness of all that British farmers deliver in supporting our health and wellbeing, producing nutritious food, managing our beautiful countryside and protecting and enhancing our environment through climate positive, regenerative farming. As an industry, we need to build deeper and stronger connections with consumers, to have conversations, answer questions and seize every opportunity to share what we are doing to address the climate and nature emergency.  In doing so, this will help drive appreciation, trust and ultimately more informed food choices.”

Ms Drummond also acknowledged the long-term support from LEAF Open Farm Sunday Principal Sponsors: AHDB, Arla Foods, Asda, BASF, Co-op, Farm¬ers Week¬ly, Fron¬tier Agri¬cul¬ture, John Deere, Kellogg’s, LEAF Mar¬que, NFU, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

“There is no better way to achieve support from the public than by direct on-farm experiences like LEAF Open Farm Sunday – which is why I would also like to thank all our sponsors for their ongoing and vital support, as without them, none of this would be possible.”