Prince praises our farmers for efforts
Nation owes ‘enormous debt of gratitude’ to producers for keeping country fed
PRINCE Charles has praised the crucial role of Britain’s farmers and growers for keeping the country fed during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Prince of Wales, who has recovered after contracting the virus himself last month, said the current crisis has shown that food “does not happen by magic”, with the nation owing farmers “an enormous debt of gratitude” for their efforts.
Speaking in an article for the latest edition of Country Life magazine, he urged members of the public to not take food for granted, highlighting a new-found appreciation for British farming which is developing amid the lockdown. “What this national crisis has also brought home – dare I say it – is how much we rely on our agricultural community and all those in the food supply chain, from field to fork,” he commented.
Meanwhile, there are warnings of a “catastrophe” for the hospitality sector in the South West if social distancing measures continue until the end of the year, as the Government’s chief medical officer has said is likely. Rhys Roberts, chair of Visit Devon, said pubs, restaurants and hotels faced an “existential threat” without extended Government aid.
PRINCE Charles has praised the crucial role of Britain’s farmers and growers for keeping the country fed during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Prince of Wales, who has recovered after contracting the virus himself last month, said the current crisis has shown that food “does not happen by magic”, with the nation owing farmers “an enormous debt of gratitude” for their efforts.
Speaking in an article for the latest edition of Country Life magazine, he urged members of the public to not take food for granted, highlighting a new-found appreciation for British farming which is developing amid the lockdown.
“What this national crisis has also brought home – dare I say it – is how much we rely on our agricultural community and all those in the food supply chain, from field to fork,” he commented.
“The retailers have been doing an outstanding job responding to the unprecedented pressures, and so has the entire supply chain.”
He went on: “The delivery drivers, shelf stackers and all of the others serving shoppers are providing an immensely important service in this time of great need.”
The Prince – who is a long-serving advocate for agriculture and country life, having established the Prince’s Countryside Fund charity in 2010 and being a patron of many rural organisations – went on to say in the article that it all, “of course, begins with our farmers”.
He continued: “When was the last time anyone gave the availability of a bottle of milk, or a loaf of bread, or fresh vegetables, a second thought? Suddenly, these things are precious and valued. And this is how it always should be.
“Food does not happen by magic. If the past few weeks have proved anything, it is that we cannot take it for granted.
“In this country, there are 80,000 farmers producing our food ... Day in day out, they are working to produce food – for us. And we owe them an enormous debt of gratitude. But they cannot do it alone.”
Also urging the public to help out, the Prince of Wales said people should support the Government’s Pick for Britain campaign and apply for jobs to plant, pick and pack fruit and vegetables, as coronavirus travel restrictions have left many farms short of seasonal workers needed to harvest the crops.
With many students unable to sit their exams, he asked whether they could help producers by working in the fields. “The need is huge and, in some cases, urgent, as the spring vegetables are ready for picking.”
The Prince’s comments come as the results of a new survey carried out by the Royal Society of the Arts (RSA) and the Food Foundation show that millions of British people have tried a vegetable box scheme, or are buying direct from the farm, as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
More than 19 million (38%) say they are cooking more from scratch and 17 million (33%) are throwing away less food, according to the data.
Meanwhile, three million people (6%) admitted to trying a vegetable box scheme or ordering food from a local farm for the first time.
Sue Pritchard, from the RSA’s Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, said the outbreak has changed how the public value food as an essential. More people are also supporting their local community as a result of the restrictions imposed by the lockdown, she added.
“How we value food is changing, we’re cooking more from scratch and sourcing our food from different places. Three million people have tried a vegetable box scheme or are buying direct from farm both to get what we need and to support the local community.”