Readers having their say on the future of the UK food industry
GREENHOUSES for new homes, fixed farm gate prices and greater education in schools are among the latest ideas from Western Morning News readers on how to transform the nation’s food industry.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has for nearly a month been gathering evidence as part of a landmark nationwide consultation, offering everyone from shoppers, farmers and food producers, to scientists and academics, an opportunity to shape how we produce, sell and consume food in the UK.
These responses will lay the groundwork for the Government’s trailblazing National Food Strategy, the first major review of the nation’s food system in nearly 75 years, to ensure the food industry is fit for the future, supports growth, enhances the environment and is resilient to the challenges posed by climate change.
As a proud champion of the Westcountry and its people, the WMN is keen to bring together the region’s best ideas and inspiration, which when collated will form the backbone of our own submission to the National Food Strategy team at Defra headquarters in London.
Writing in a letter to the paper, Richard Parkin from Dunkeswell, near Honiton, believes fixed prices should be agreed for arable, milk and meat products, with surplus either stored for future use (barley, wheat oats, oilseed rape, mustard and maize) or sold to public services (dairy and meat) such as hospitals and schools.
“There is really no reason the UK, as a whole, cannot produce the food we need,” he says. “As this country stood together in two world wars, we can beat anything.”
On milk, Mr Parkin recommends: “A fixed price, for summer and winter, based on the old Milk Marketing Board system. All surplus to be given to hospitals and schools.”
A minimum price should also be set for meat (beef, mutton, poultry, pork), he adds, which is then open to market sources. “Any surpluses could be sold to the NHS at a discount and marked, so supermarkets and other outlets cannot sell the surplus on the open market at a huge profit.”
John Bimson, from Hemyock near Cullompton, presents two ideas one supporting the other - on how to help feed the country.
All compostable material should be taken to a reachable compost dump, he says, then collected and taken to a compost making centre where it can be turned into a “quality compost with a guaranteed plant nutrient content”.
Compost would then be made available to new homes, Mr Bimson explains, which by law must be built to include a 6ft x 8ft greenhouse,
with access to the sun in either a South or West elevation. He continues: “This greenhouse is prohibited from having an access into the dwelling home to prevent it from becoming a conservatory.
“All roof water to be channelled into a sizeable water butt - the excess going to a ‘soak away’. This can then be used in the greenhouse - remembering that greenhouses have to be watered even when it is raining outdoors.
“With information and encouragement, homeowners can grow a range of food for themselves - and will if food is unavailable in the shops.
“Knowing how productive my own greenhouse is, multiply that by five thousands and an enormous amount of food can be produced at very little national expense.”
Meanwhile, Mr E Gay from Riddlecombe, Chulmleigh, warns that the food industry is in an “unsustainable position”, with supermarkets “dictating the price they will pay instead of the value and work that has gone into producing such a high quality product”.
This must, however, alter if food is going to be available long-term, he says, with huge increases in population. Mr Gay continues: “We ourselves in Britain could be more sustainable, if only the people doing the hard work were rewarded for their hard work.
“As it stands, we as a country are only 60% sufficient in food. To take an example, fresh high-quality milk fed to babies is being sold at the supermarkets for £1.09 for 2.2 litres, which is little more or less than water is being sold. The poor farmer is getting about 16p a pint which is disgusting.
“They [farmers] work night and day, seven days a week, in many cases to care for these animals to produce this wonderful product for less than cost of production, and I am afraid the supermarkets are to blame.”
He adds: “I could go on, but its foolish to think this can go on as I can see the dairy farmer - like many others in other sectors - have so heavily borrowed its all going to come to a head, even more so if farm subsidies were reduced or made harder to obtain. So my plea to you all in positions of power is to get this matter addressed without delay, as without major subsidies most if not all farmers would go bust!”
Phil Torr, from Plymouth, recommends “going back to basics” to change people’s attitude and thinking, starting with food and farming education in primary schools: “Children must understand food doesn’t come from the supermarkets, but from the hard endeavour of farmers.
“Soil, seed planting to the eating plate should be taught as part of a national curriculum to traditional home economics, to how to cook real vegetables, thus reducing obesity and diabetes with non-processed alternatives.”
Among his suggestions, Mr Torr also puts forward ‘Brand English’, to help promote the nation’s high animal welfare and environmental standards. Outlining Brand English, he explains: “England, nutritionally, grown for excellence, lovingly produced, in, safe, healthy food. The media has to inform the general public that English agriculture and food production is the very best in the world.
“Why, we have the highest animal health standards in the world. Highest welfare standards in the world. Highest environmental standards in the world. Highest food safety standards in the world. All under the supervision of the very best agronomists in the world. People need to be told how good their food really is!
“English agriculture must shout about how good it is. Now is the greatest opportunity to sell England’s finest produce to the world. That is the goal - future of food production in England.”
And there’s still time to share your thoughts, with the deadline for responses on Saturday, September 28. Responses can be submitted by email to athwenna.irons@reachplc. com with ‘WMN Food Strategy’ in the subject line, or alternatively posted to: Athwenna Irons, Western Morning News, Studio 5-11, Millbay Road, Plymouth, PL1 3LF.
There is really no reason the UK, as a whole, cannot produce the food we need RICHARD PARKIN