IT TAKES TWO...
RICHARD HOPLEY IS A STAFFORDSHIRE FARMER SUPPLYING BEEF AND LAMB TO LIDL. HE EXPLAINS WHY IT’S SUCH A GOOD PARTNERSHIP FOR YOUNG FARMERS LIKE HIMSELF
TUCKED away in the Staffordshire hills is a 500-acre mixed beef, sheep and arable farm that has belonged to Richard Hopley and his family for the past 35 years. From their grass-fed cows and sheep, which are inspected annually by Red Tractor to ensure High farming standards, Richard is proud to supply Lidl with top
quality beef and lamb.
And he knows that Lidl’s commitment to the bestquality produce will help him keep his own standards high. “We are on the same page – I feel that Lidl understands my farming business,” Richard says. “The company has a keen interest in how the produce is grown, with good feedback on what it wants to see in what it puts on its shelves.
“We both want quality products, and Lidl is supporting British food that has been grown to high standards.”
But as well as its focus on quality, Lidl also supports young farmers across the UK, and is committed to investing £15billion into British food and farming over the next five years. Through its Grassroots Dairy Partnership it is working with 30 young beef and dairy farmers across the UK to create sustainable businesses, with a particular focus on mitigating the impacts of climate change. One key goal, for example, is reducing the use of plastic across Lidl’s dairyrange.
“I like the fact that we have got a group of young farmers together,” says Richard. “It allows us to see how other people are operating and understand different ways of working. It feels like we’re part of something good.”
Richard’s farm has been in his family for three
generations, and he still works with his father, Roger. He also hopes his young son, Matthew, will follow in his footsteps. By keeping it in the family, Richard is confident his farm will continue to keep the high farming standards they have always held. “Any cows housed in the winter are bedded on straw produced on the farm. That allows us to keep cosy beds for them,” Richard explains.
“After winter the straw is used as fertiliser on the fields to feed next year’s crops and promote healthier soils. It’s all circular and balanced; it’s why, in my opinion, mixed farming is the best way to farm sustainably.”
The quality of Lidl’s beef reflects the care and attention that Richard and its other suppliers give to their cows. Indeed, one of the commitments of the Grassroots partnership is continual improvement of animal welfare, beyond national standards. “Our beef is not produced, it’s nurtured,” says Richard proudly.
All of Lidl’s fresh chicken and beef is from British suppliers and is Red Tractor assured.
HIGH STANDARDS
“Red Tractor checks that we are doing everything to the highest possible standards, including animal welfare, environmental, quality, and health and safety aspects,” says Richard. “The inspector is there to check that we are doing everything right.
“It’s great that they are coming out regularly to ensure we are doing things correctly.”
Lidl is supporting British food that has been grown to high standards Richard Hopley Beef and sheep Farmer