Opinion: Getting voices heard means getting close to government

Farmers are brilliant at moaning. In fact, I class myself as a bit of an expert.

I always feel better when I’ve had chance to rant to the nearest unsuspecting person about the state of UK agriculture, the weather or whatever disaster has happened on farm that day. 

So when our local MP asked if I would like to go to London and give evidence to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee for their investigation into unfairness in the food supply chain, I was delighted to accept.

See also: Opinion – farmers are the climate change scapegoats

Arriving alongside me in Westminster were farmers from all over the UK, representing every sector, and it was clear from our initial conversations that we were all there for the same reason.

We wanted to tell our stories and have our voices heard by the people who might just be able to do something about the problems we are facing.

I can’t go into detail about what was discussed because it was a confidential meeting, allowing farmers and growers to talk freely about their individual situations.

The evidence we gave will form part of a report to be published later this year.

I will say, though, that some of the farmers in the room had been treated appallingly by the supermarkets they supplied.

As we listened intently to the executives from Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Lidl and Waitrose responding to the committee’s questions – ironically with the sort of answers that would make a politician proud – there were many collective groans and lots of head-shaking. 

It was an afternoon well spent. I was happy to participate in the discussions, which I hope may eventually lead to the changes that are needed to make supply chains fairer for farmers and restore the trust which has almost vanished. 

The recent Farm to Fork summit at Number 10 was another opportunity for farmers to engage directly with senior politicians.

The farmers who attended are all fantastic advocates for our industry and are not afraid of airing their opinions and standing up for what they believe in.

I firmly believe the more we get the issues facing agriculture right into the heart of government, the more likely they are to listen and, more importantly, might start to understand.

There’s a time for protesting and making a loud noise about things that get our backs up. I absolutely believe that, too.

It makes me proud to see farmers young and old standing together in solidarity.

The past few years have been terrible, we are seeing desperate times in all sectors, and sometimes you need to feel you are physically doing something to make a difference to your own situation.

Ultimately, though, if we want governments to legislate in our favour, we need to engage in conversation and try to generate change from within.

“That’s fantastic, Cath, but the wrong people will read it,” someone recently said to me about a previous column I had written.

That’s true. I am, to a certain extent, preaching to the converted.

To effectively convey our messages to the right ears, we have cast our net wider and accept invitations which push us beyond our comfort zone and into the unknown.

My own visit to Westminster was just a drop in the ocean, but collaborative voices from across agriculture can and will make a difference.