Government urged to back regional food producers

FOOD and drink bosses have urged the Government to offer more support for the nation’s independent producers amid mounting economic pressures.

Food From England has issued an urgent letter to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and all of England’s MPs requesting help for the food and drink sector as the current cost of living crisis bites.

The national platform of 26 regional food and drink organisations, including Food Drink Devon and Taste of the West, says that despite its “invaluable contribution to the local economy, England’s characteristic landscape, the environment, the country’s social cohesion and its public health”, the local independent food and drink industry is “in peril”.

Rising costs of imported ingredients and materials, supply chain issues, continuing staffing shortages and skyrocketing energy and fuel prices have all contributed to a steep increase in production costs. Unable to absorb the additional cost due to tight profit margins, businesses are having to pass this on to customers, it adds.

Newton Abbot-based Food Drink Devon represents over 350 members and is throwing its weight behind the demand for increased backing for local independent food and drink producers, growers, retailers, and hospitality outlets; having seen the current cost of living crisis directly affect their members, some of which have been recently forced to shut their doors for good.

Greg Parsons, chair of Food Drink Devon and chief executive of Sharpham Cheese, explained: “Our members are calling out for increased support and information to help them understand how they can weather the cost-of-living crisis. It’s affecting every stage of the supply chain and, due to customers having no choice but to cut their spending, passing on the costs is not a viable solution.

“Local businesses have gone above and beyond over the past few years to support their communities and if we don’t support the ones that have managed to survive so far, we will lose them.”

He added: “Local, freshly produced food and drink is a healthy alternative to super processed foods and – when used efficiently – does not have to be expensive. Food Drink Devon, along with their members, makes a concerted effort to educate the public on how local, seasonal food can be the healthy, affordable, and sustainable option.”

According to Government statistics published last month, the UK’s agri-food sector – made up of agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale, retail, and catering – contributed £116.2 billion (6%) to the national Gross Value Added (GVA) in 2020 and employed 4.1 million people.

Furthermore, total consumer spend on food, drink and catering hit £240 billion in 2021, with the value of food and drink exports at £20.2 billion.

Food From England, which represents over 43,000 local growers, producers, retailers and hospitality businesses, says local independent food and drink businesses “reconnect the consumer” with the land their food comes from and with the people growing, processing, selling, and serving local products, creating a “sense of place and community, and making people proud of where they live”.

The sector looks after the land and is a “driver of innovative, more sustainable practices”, it adds, while also providing the culinary infrastructure to the country’s tourism industry: food and drink are the “glue of any tourist experience and greatly influence its success”.

Food From England’s Rachel Mallows, founder of Made in Northamptonshire, continued: Without a quality offering, visitors are less likely to dwell or stay over, and spend less. The Covid lockdown saw both the demise of many artisan producers, and food outlets disappearing overnight. If we do not support the industry now, we will see a repeat of this tragic loss of livelihoods, skills, employment, and community, possibly on an even larger scale.”

The organisation is urging central Government to take action in a number of areas, including extending the

Energy Bill Relief Scheme to June 30, 2023 to give businesses “breathing space” ahead of trade picking up from April onwards; providing additional (grant funding) support to high-energy using food businesses, to invest in a wide range of green energy solutions; and extending the Seasonal Worker Scheme beyond December 2022 across all sectors in the food and drink industry to avoid further (part) closures due to staffing shortages in 2023.

In addition to lobbying politicians for support, Food From England has launched a ‘Don’t Lose It, Use It!’ consumer campaign, urging customers to buy local and support our independent food and drink businesses.

> Greg Parsons, chair of ‘Food Drink Devon’ and chief executive of Sharpham Cheese