SIR Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said farmers must stick together and help each other during today's difficult times.

Speaking at Brymor Ice Cream on Monday, he said: "Family farms are the backbone of our rural economy, particularly in the uplands and national parks.

"One of the main planks we use to promote God's own country is its food and drink. It differentiates us from other parts of the UK and the world. Farmers are facing a challenging time at the moment so it is important for us to stick together and help each other."

Sir Gary also said pubs were important to villages. "If there is a pub in a village, it means there is somewhere to sell local food and drink. If you take the pub out, it affects the whole dynamics."

Welcome to Yorkshire will continue to promote the county's food and drink. He told how the director of the Tour de France had eaten a meal at his kitchen table and praised the food as "amazing". He could not understand its poor reputation in France.

After speaking at Brymor, Sir Gary travelled to London to meet Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss who had been impressed by Yorkshire's promotion of its food and its authenticity.

"The Government is to have a strong campaign to promote British food and exports, so we are going to try and 'Yorkshire-ise' this as much as possible," Sir Gary said.

He said Welcome to Yorkshire is to sponsor ITV's Countrywise programme and other promotions include on Classic FM and large screens at King's Cross and Manchester Airport. The organisations website is the most visited in the UK with food and drink a major part of that.