As the country celebrates Back British Farming Day, the British public has once again shown unwavering support for farmers and growers, voting them as the second most respected profession in the UK for the third year running.

The NFU's latest Farmer Favourability Survey demonstrates the public really values farmers for producing high-quality food, caring for animals and protecting the countryside – often in the face of extreme weather and economic pressures. Ranking farmers and growers second only to our fantastic nurses, the survey also found:

• 92% people feel it's important Britain has a productive farming sector.
• 89% say British farms should grow as much food as possible to support national food security.
• More than three-quarters of respondents trust British food more than food from the rest of the world.

With new Ministers in Defra, there is an opportunity to make farming's case strongly to a new top team. As the NFU takes Back British Farming Day once again to Westminster, it is calling on government to recognise and reflect on this continued public support with policies that truly value domestic food production and farming's environmental delivery.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: "British farming is the bedrock of the country's largest manufacturing sector – food and drink – worth over £150 billion to the economy and supporting more than four million jobs. Just as we rightly celebrate the strength of our food and drink sector, we must also recognise and invest in the people who make it possible: our farmers and growers.

"Back British Farming Day is about recognising the value of our farmers – not just for the food they produce, but for the role they play in our communities, our economy and our environment. And clearly, the public is behind us.

"Over the past decade, NFU campaigns have helped deliver landmark changes for farmers, including the introduction of 'Buy British' buttons on eight major supermarket websites and driving the launch of No. 10's Farm to Fork Summit. More than a quarter of a million people have also recently backed the NFU's petition calling on the government to protect family farms from the family farm tax.

"Meanwhile, over 40,000 people agree that children should learn more about agriculture in schools – which is why NFU Education runs programmes like Farmers for Schools, where farmer ambassadors visit secondary schools to share their experiences and challenge misconceptions about farming. We've also recently launched the AgriFuture Scholarship Programme, a new initiative with the Outward Bound Trust and the British Veterinary Ethnicity and Diversity Society that offers mentoring, outdoor learning and career inspiration for young people from underrepresented backgrounds."

While the public support is hugely appreciated, many farmers and growers face growing challenges. The average farm carries significant debts just to stay afloat, while nearly half of all farm businesses are tenanted and do not own their most valuable asset – the land they farm. With the average age of a farmer now 60-years-old, long-term investment and succession planning is becoming increasingly more difficult.

Farmers continue to invest billions in the wider economy, support rural tourism and diversify their businesses to stay resilient. But to secure the future of British farming, the NFU is calling for urgent action to improve farm profitability, protect domestic food production and ensure fair standards in trade.

Tom Bradshaw added: "Our farmers and growers are proud to produce the food that feeds the nation, while delivering for nature, rural communities and the wider economy. But they need confidence to invest for the future.

"Key to the long-term future of our farms is improving the profitability of sustainable food production. One simple thing the government can do is the right thing on inheritance tax to avoid bereaved farming families having to fork out for an unaffordable tax bill – something we know the public stands behind.

"Our submission to the government's Farm Profitability Review outlines how it has the potential to improve competitiveness and profitability, helping to underpin national food security and meet our domestic environmental targets.

"As we mark ten years of Back British Farming Day, the NFU remains committed to championing a thriving future for British agriculture – one built on public trust, political partnership and pride in our homegrown food."