John Deere Joins Open Farm Sunday Sponsors
2011-01-17

John Deere has accepted an invitation to become the exclusive machinery sponsor for Open Farm Sunday, which this year takes place on June 12.

Open Farm Sunday Manager Annabel Shackleton of LEAF and Chris Meacock of John Deere Limited (foreground), with Matt Grindal on one of the farm’s John Deere tractors, at the Manor Farm Shop & Tearoom in Catthorpe.

Organised by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming), Open Farm Sunday is the industry’s annual event that gives everyone across the UK the chance to meet the farmers who grow their food and care for the countryside. Other principal sponsors in 2011 include Farmers Weekly, Frontier, Warburtons and the supermarkets ASDA and Waitrose.

“John Deere is delighted to join Open Farm Sunday as the event’s machinery sponsor in 2011,” says Chris Meacock, agricultural marketing manager for the UK and Ireland. “Education and care for the environment are two of the company’s key guiding principles, underpinning our business activities as the world’s leading manufacturer of agricultural, turf, forestry and construction equipment.

“Open Farm Sunday provides an ideal opportunity to show a wider public audience how advanced farming technologies are being applied to the benefit of farming, efficient food production and sound environmental management, including the reduction of harmful emissions. We also see the event as a means to encourage young people to consider a challenging and worthwhile career in farming and agricultural engineering.”

Open Farm Sunday started in 2006, since when over 750,000 members of the general public have visited UK farms and learnt first hand about practical farming. Over 1100 key farmers have hosted events; typical of these is Matt Grindal of Manor Farm in Catthorpe, Leicestershire (pictured).

This traditional family run mixed farm has a farm shop and tearoom, retailing its own produce as well as other local and British goods, and was recently voted Small Business of the Year at the 2010 Rugby Business Awards.

The farm generally attracts around 300 visitors to its Open Farm Sunday event, which usually includes tours of the farm and explanations of what it produces, displays of tractors, machinery and animals, children’s attractions and competitions, local produce and product tastings, arts and crafts, seed planting, a wildlife display, roast lunches and a BBQ.

For further details of this year’s Open Farm Sunday event, visit the website at www.farmsunday.org

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