Food-Friendly Wines — Bob's Blog
What are best food-friendly wines? Bob Campbell, MW offers his picks.
A CAMPAIGN by UK farmers to promote local food is moving into top gear. Banners alongside motorways throughout the country are asking motorists to buy British produce.
Spearheaded by the National Farmers Union and the National Pig Association, the campaign follows a similar successful scheme of banners on farmland nationwide.
Organisers say the aim is to erect banners near prime locations. So far at least 130 banners are on display. Key motorways such as the M25, M6, M4 and M1 will carry the message for up to eight weeks.
NFU president Peter Kendall says banners that went up last month drew “a fabulous response”.
“Many people reacted positively to the message we are trying to get across, which is to back British farming wherever possible.
“Now these banners are being taken to a whole new audience, and we hope the message continues to resonate and ensure more British food ends up on more British plates.”
The campaign also has the support of the Red Tractor, a food assurance scheme which covers production standards developed by experts on safety, hygiene, animal welfare and the environment. Backed by farmers and retailers, the Red Tractor logo appears on food packs.
Red Tractor Assurance head of marketing and communications, Richard Cattell, says in the summer holidays many people will be travelling around the UK.
“It’s a great time to showcase our banners on motorways… to encourage people to trust the Red Tractor logo and what it stands for – traceability, animal welfare, food safety and environmental protection.”
Farmer interest continues to grow as a Massey University research project to determine the benefits or otherwise of the self-shedding Wiltshire sheep is underway. The project is five years in and has two more years to go. It was done mainly in the light of low wool prices and the cost of shearing. Peter Burke recently went along to the annual field day held Massey's Riverside farm in the Wairarapa.
Applications are now open for the 2026 NZI Rural Women Business Awards, set to be held at Parliament on 23 July.
Ravensdown has announced a collaboration with Kiwi icon, Footrot Flats in an effort to bring humour, heart, and connection to the forefront of the farming sector.
Forest & Bird's Kiwi Conservation Club is inviting New Zealanders of all ages to embrace the outdoors with its Summer Adventure Challenges.
Grace Su, a recent optometry graduate from the University of Auckland, is moving to Tauranga to start work in a practice where she worked while participating in the university's Rural Health Interprofessional Programme (RHIP).
Two farmers and two farming companies were recently convicted and fined a total of $108,000 for environmental offending.

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