On Monday evening (25/3/24), Vegans Support the Farmers joined Save British Farming and Fairness for Farmers on their tractor rally from Embankment to Parliament Square.
The tractor rally was held with three key asks; that the Government acts to block substandard imports, puts an end to ‘dishonest' food labelling and takes more action to address food security [1].
Vegans Support the Farmers is an Animal Rising project that aims to work with farmers on three goals [2]:
A fair price for farmers
Growing more food in the UK and importing less
Listening to farmers instead of corporations
It also aims to fundraise £100,000 to support the mental health of young farmers as they face a mass of overlapping crises [3].
Around central London and finishing at Parliament Square this evening (25/3/24), hundreds of tractors drove through slowly to protest the government’s current treatment of farmers. Vegans Support the Farmers joined the demonstration to show their support, with a truck full of supporters dressed as fruit and veg. Save British Farming is asking that the Government acts to block substandard imports, puts an end to ‘dishonest' food labelling and takes more action to address food security [1].
Animal Rising, formerly Animal Rebellion and the group that started the Vegans Support the Farmers project, has previously campaigned alongside farmers. They were present at the 2020 ‘Save British Farming’ protests [4], and the ‘Proud to Farm’ supermarket distribution centre blockades in October of last year [5].
Kerri Waters, 40, Vegans Support the Farmers spokesperson and co-founder, said:
“We’re here in solidarity with the hard-working farmers that are finding it more and more difficult to do their job. The government is turning its back on the issue of food security and is instead prioritising cheap imports."
"We all want to see a healthy agricultural sector that provides food for the British public, protects nature, and supports a thriving rural community. With the climate emergency and extreme weather episodes escalating rapidly, we urgently need to modernise our food system. With the current policies in place this is just not happening, and we need a significant increase in support for farmers before it’s too late.”
Save British Farming has been vocal and active, from orchestrating tractor protests, to raising awareness, and engaging the public and policymakers about the importance of supporting UK agriculture. Vegans Support the Farmers are encouraging everyone to sign the latest petition from Save British Farming that asks the government to protect British food standards and food security [6].
ENDS
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Who Are Animal Rising:
Animal Rising is working towards a plant-based food system by taking nonviolent direct action and running grassroots campaigns, such as Plant-Based Universities and Councils. This is necessary as an urgent response to the climate and nature emergencies, and to achieve animal freedom.
Who Are Vegans Support the Farmers:
Vegans Support the Farmers is an Animal Rising project that backs farmer-led demands to help address the key issues as part of its work for a safe, just and kind food system. The project hopes to break down barriers between vegans and farmers to come to a place of understanding and collaboration. By stepping in to support farmer issues directly it hopes to build a basis of trust between the vegan and farming communities. It is raising money for Young Farmers, a network-building community among the next generation of farmers, which is vital to their mental health. Through raising money for this network of groups, we hope to both extend support to, and build relationships with, real people on the ground.
Notes to Editor: