Buy British beef, host a roast and back Britiain’s farmers
There's never been a better time to buy British beef and back Britain’s farmers.
Next week (April 21 – 27) marks Great British Beef Week and after the horsemeat scandal and news that many farmers affected by the extreme weather are fighting for survival, it’s a great opportunity for families to enjoy a great British product and support the farming community.
The week was set up by a group of female beef farmers who are passionate about their product, ‘Ladies in Beef’. Started three years ago by Minette Batters from Wiltshire and Jilly Greed from Devon, the group now has more than 75 members across the country.
Milly Wastie, the national face of Great British Beef Week, chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs and R.A.B.I.’s East Midlands’ regional manager
This year’s campaign aims to help shoppers know how to have complete confidence in the quality, traceability and health benefits of the beef they buy, and raise awareness of the work of farming’s welfare charity, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (R.A.B.I.).
Jilly said: “Great British Beef Week couldn’t come at a better time. Consumer confidence has been shaken recently, but we hope shoppers will realise that the best way to ensure that the beef they buy is born, raised, processed and packed in Britain to the highest quality standards is to look for the Red Tractor logo on the label. You can’t buy, or taste, better!”
People can also show support for British farmers by ‘Hosting a Roast’ for family and friends, colleagues or community groups during the week and asking guests to support R.A.B.I.’s work with farming families in financial difficulty.
Events can take any format and be as large or small as people wish. All you need to do is to serve Red Tractor-assured British beef and encourage guests to make a donation to R.A.B.I..
More than 30 events have already been registered. Thanks to sponsorship from food processors ABP, they include a roast beef lunch at Kingston Maurward Agricultural College and a roast beef dinner at Salisbury Auction Market, a beef and burger evening at Williams Farm Kitchen in East Yorkshire, a beef supper at Launde Abbey in Leicestershire and a roast beef lunch at Rampsbeck Country House in Cumbria.
Asda, Tesco, Waitrose and Morrisons will also be supporting GBBW, as will many butchers and farm shops, pubs, hotels and restaurants, including Cotswold Farm Park, the New Street Grill in London and the Jumeirah Carlton Tower and Jumeirah Lowndes Rib Room, also in London.
The national face of Great British Beef Week is Milly Wastie, chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs and R.A.B.I.’s East Midlands’ regional manager.
Milly said: “Great British Beef Week is a fantastic initiative and it’s a great honour for R.A.B.I. to be the charity to benefit from fundraising. Farmers have had a hard time in the last year, but taking part in Great British Beef Week is one way that everyone can show support for the work they do.”
To coincide with Great British Beef Week, Ladies in Beef has produced a handy ‘Shoppers’ Guide to Beef Labelling’. Written by Richard Lowe, former chief executive of the Meat and Livestock Commission, it contains additional nutrition and recipe information and will be available to be downloaded from Ladies in Beef and R.A.B.I. websites during the week.
For more information see www.ladiesinbeef.org.uk and www.rabi.org.uk
