Better image 'needed for farming'

Princess Anne attended the 63rd Oxford Farming Conference

Hundreds of farmers in Oxfordshire have been discussing how to improve their public image.

More than 500 delegates, including the Princess Royal, Princess Anne and Hilary Benn MP, attended the three-day Oxford Farming Conference.

Former editor of The Sun, David Yelland, spoke on the last day of the conference at the Examination Halls on Oxford's High Street.

He said farming needed to promote a more positive image.

He said supermarkets had left farmers behind by cashing in on organic food.

"Farming talks about itself in too negative a way. It uses the wrong words and the wrong kind of mindset," said Mr Yelland.

"I think if farmers could change that, they could probably change quite a lot," he added.

Farmer Rob Addicott was impressed by the former editor's message.

"It's up to us farmers to re-engage with the public. To remind people that we're producing good food and looking after the environment - to produce a positive image about ourselves again," he said.