ORGANISERS of this year's Great British Beef Week say it's more important than ever for the public to show its support for British beef farmers.

Now in its ninth year, the week runs from April 1-7 and is spearheaded by Ladies in Beef, a group of more than 150 female beef farmers from across the UK. The campaign's charity partner is the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI), the farming sector's oldest and largest charity. It gave out more than

£2.2m to farming people in hardship in 2018.

Jilly Greed, Ladies in Beef co-founder, is urging farmers, producers and the public to join in this year's celebrations by eating, promoting and talking about beef. During the week, Red Tractor assured thin cut beef steaks will be promoted using new international themed recipes and the campaign will highlight the fact that beef forms a key part of some of the world's most popular dishes.

Campaigners will also help educate consumers about the environmental and nutritional benefits of beef as part of a balanced diet.

Jilly, who farms 200 suckler beef cows and young stock on Devonshire water meadows, said: "We want to use Great British Beef Week to set the record straight on grass-based beef and its many environmental and health benefits.

"Almost half of the UK's many breeds of cattle are managed on our mountains, moorlands, marshes and wetland marshes, land which cannot be used for intensive production. Here, suckler beef herds are a vital part of the landscape management to maintain the critical carbon sink from damaging greenhouse gases.

"The beef industry needs to find its voice to counter misinformation about our sector. Great British Beef Week gives us a tremendous opportunity to bang the drum for our wonderful farmers."

About 475, 000 people are employed in farming in the UK and the beef and veal industries are worth around £3bn to the UK economy.