International superstar Luke Bryan chats with young UK podcasters highlighting comparable farming challenges across the pond

Country superstar, American Idol judge and farmer, Luke Bryan partners with Bayer US to support rural communities in America- UK podcasters, Becca and Lizzie, find out more about how the campaign raises awareness of the similar challenges which face UK farmers. 

With rural American communities holding the highest food insecurity rates, at a staggering 90 percent of counties, Luke Bryan and Bayer are celebrating their annual #HeresToTheFarmer initiative, part of the ‘Take Care, Now’ campaign, in support of Feeding America and providing one million meals to food banks. 

The campaign will be celebrated on Luke’s Farm Tour where he will play at six family farms across the country this September. 

On the latest episode of the UK podcast, Becca and Lizzie: The Podcast, two young farming faces welcomed both Luke Bryan and Bayer’s Director of External Communications, Brian Leake, onto the show to find out more about the initiative and draw parallels between UK and US agriculture.  

“It’s been an amazing partnership with Bayer and to have grown throughout the year and every year. Bayer, they always add new charitable aspects to the Farm Tour that provide more for people that need it out there and that’s what’s been amazing” Luke says. 

“We’re really bringing a lot of awareness to hunger out there, certainly in rural areas and something we can be very proud to be a part of.”  

Brian Leake, Director of External Communications at Bayer, also praises the partnership. 

“It’s designed to raise awareness of a gap in some rural US communities around access to both healthcare and healthy nutritious food but also increase that access” he states. 

As mental health ambassadors for the UK agricultural community, Becca, fifth-generation farmer, and Lizzie, self-confessed townie now working in the industry, the pair highlight the comparable farming challenges between both the UK and the US. 

Becca said “Lizzie and I both know the challenges that UK farmers have to manage such as the weather, finances and isolation so in the interview, we asked Luke if these are the same for farmers in the US.”

Luke Bryan commented on the pressures US farmers are facing. 

“I feel like years ago, a farmer could have ana error or a little mistake throughout the year and really weather it… these days, farmers really have to be a lot more focused and concentrate on every little nuance of the numbers to make sure they make it year after year” he states. 

His farming childhood also adds a personal connection to the campaign. 

“I think growing up in a small rural community taught me a sense of community and hard work and a work ethic that I’ve been able to carry through my career as a country singer” 

Becca and Lizzie: The Podcast, supported by A Plan Rural, was created by two young females from two different backgrounds- farming and non- farming- to spark conversations, ask questions and bridge the gap between rural and urban communities. 

You can listen to the latest episodes on all streaming platforms and follow their journey on social media @becca.and.lizzie