On Friday 5th of May the Manx National Farmers' Union hosted the first conference of Fairness for Farmers in Europe, at the Castletown Golf Links hotel.
 
The conference, chaired by Howard Quayle, president of the Manx NFU, was attended by organisations from across Britain who agreed steps aimed at achieving fairer farm-gate prices for farmers and their families.

Mr. Quayle opened the meeting saying, "We are not anti-supermarket and we are not anti-profit - we are pro-fairness - and it is time that farmers received a fair price for a fair day's work."
 
The conference was attended by many organisations, including, the National Beef Association, Irish Cattle and Sheep Association, Farmers’ Union of Wales, Farmers for Action, Irish Creamery, Soil Association, & the Country Landowners’ Association. All agreed to “work across Europe for a fair farm-gate price for producers and their families.”

William Taylor, selected as co-ordinator of Fairness for Farmers in Europe during the conference said, “The creation of this campaign is a very exciting development at this important time for the farming industry. The Isle of Man has been able to gather such diverse groups together because of its strategic independence.”

During the conference the Isle of Man Government’s Agriculture Minister, Mr. Phil Gawne, pledged his support for farm groups working towards fair prices that would help secure the future of farming. He said, “Parliaments have the ability to support fair prices for farmers, but politicians need to feel the public will support their actions. I hope Fairness for Farmers in Europe will assist in galvanising people’s support for farming.”