Farmers’ vital £1.4bn contribution to East Anglia's rural economy will be highlighted at next week's Royal Norfolk Show.

The National Farmers' Union (NFU) is preparing to address politicians, parliamentary candidates and local councillors at the Norfolk Showground on June 26 and 27.

With the event falling just a week before the General Election on July 4, Norfolk agricultural leaders will be calling for commitments on food production, which supports more than 11,800 jobs in the county, according to NFU research.

NFU figures also show that Norfolk farmers play a significant part in the "huge contribution" which agriculture makes to the economy in East Anglia – valued at around £1.4bn.

Senior NFU figures including vice president Rachel Hallos will be at the show, calling for electoral commitments to help family farms - particularly after an NFU survey revealed that confidence levels in the industry were at their lowest levels since 2010.

The relentless wet weather had played a major part, says the report, with 82pc of respondents saying their farm businesses have suffered "fairly negative" or "very negative" impacts.

The NFU is calling for the government to recognise the "extraordinary nature" of the wettest 18 months since 1836, warning that many farms may be unable to survive.

NFU Norfolk chairman Tim Papworth, who farms near North Walsham, said: “As a county, Norfolk heavily relies on the farming community.

“Norfolk’s farmers create thousands of jobs and support many other businesses in the county throughout the year.

“They work hard to deliver high quality, sustainable and ethically produced food, always working to the highest standards of animal welfare while protecting the countryside and supporting the environment.

“The NFU has always pushed for more commitment from the government to secure a more resilient and sustainable future for our farming families and, with a General Election on the horizon, it has never been more important to have our members’ voices heard.

“I look forward to engaging with politicians to ensure a more positive future for the Norfolk farming community.”

Mr Papworth said the wet weather had contributed to an "extremely challenging time for farmers here in Norfolk", with a "real financial impact".

He added: "While there has been some support on offer from government, we still need to see action in other areas including on British food security.

"I’m thankful for how the general public have continued to show their support and appreciation for what we do and now we need to see our politicians from all parties value and back the production of home-grown food and our family businesses."