Farmers urging Britons to avoid supermarkets and ‘buy my turkey’ directly this Christmas
Buying a Christmas turkey directly from the farmer helps them “scrape a living” during the festive season, farmers say.
The National Farmers Union is encouraging customers to consider buying a bird from source to ensure farmers pocket as much profit as possible.
Launching the Buy My Turkey Day campaign, the NFU says British farmers are “feeling the pinch” this Christmas.
Many people buy their turkey from supermarkets for simplicity and to get a cheaper deal.
“The farmers really need support”, said Hannah Thorogood, a turkey farmer in Lincolnshire. “When you buy direct from us the money you’re spending goes straight into our pocket.”
“We have autonomy of our accounts on our farms”, she said, “but when you buy from the supermarkets, the farmers that supply them often have no power and are only given a few pence on the pound that you spend.”
Hannah and her family run Inkpots Organic Farm in Sleaford with around 100 turkeys heading to the abattoir in the coming days.
Every first Saturday of the month they welcome visitors to the farm to see how the produce is raised.
“People love coming to the farm to collect their turkey. It’s part of their Christmas tradition”, said Hannah. “It’s a nicer feeling than going to the supermarket and getting stressed.”
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She added: “If people understood how much work we put in to get that food onto tables I think people would understand the true value of the food. It really is worth paying a bit more.”
Hannah’s daughter, Elisabeth, 17, said: “It’s concerning that people have no idea that the meat on their table was a living thing once. It’s really important to know where it came from and that it had a good life.”
“It’s a really nice feeling knowing a hundred people have Christmas dinner thanks to us,” Elisabeth added.
The NFU has launched a ‘Turkey Finder’ website where people can find a local farm to support.
Jonathan Smith, Chair of NFU Turkey Group said: “British turkey farmers work tirelessly year-round to make your Christmas celebrations special.
“Buy My Turkey Day is all about recognising their hard work and encouraging everyone to buy local, sustainable and nutritious produce.
“By buying British, you’re not only enjoying a fantastic meal but also backing farming families and the wider rural community.”
While many people won’t be able to buy directly from a farm or butcher, the NFU asks customers to look for the Red Tractor and union logo on supermarket food to guarantee a British product of a high standard.
To buy directly from Inkpots in Sleaford, visitors can join the open day on Saturday, December 7 or email inkpotfarm@gmail.com