Time for organic farming community to stop ‘wagging fingers and condescending attitude’

Organic farmers in Scotland need to change the way they engage with people about the way they produce food if other farmers, consumers and policy makers are to take the sector more seriously.

Roger Kerr, chief executive of organic licensing body OF&G, said the organic sector offered huge potential in terms of business opportunities post-Brexit, as well as ecological development. But too many years of comparing and criticising other production systems meant the sector had not received the positive attention it deserved – something producers and organic businesses had to work together to change.

Speaking at OF&G’s National Organic Combinable Crops conference in Shifnal, Shropshire, Mr Kerr said post-Brexit policy had focused on farming’s potential to offer public goods. Yet while organic was able to deliver significant environmental benefits, it was not being seriously discussed as a viable solution to the country’s food and farming challenges. He said: “Part of that is because organic has become a loaded word. We have spent too many years comparing us and them, too many years campaigning and wagging fingers, and too many years being condescending about what we are doing. We need to change things. We need to start engaging, sharing, and change the record if [organic is] to be part of the UK’s domestic agricultural policy.”

He added: “We can talk about agronomy, products and integrity, but there are serious opportunities around research and innovation, and the public goods those will help to create, which require real focus.If we are given the support to deliver on those things, then we can really move organic food production in the UK forward.”

Delegates look round the UK’s largest on-farm organic event at Green Acres Farm in Shifnal.