Farming News
Four NFU bosses also meet to discuss the situation, and call for a ‘widespread culture change’
Around 70 UK farmers joined the thousands taking part in the Copa Cogeca farming demo today (7 September)
As well as that, the four farming union presidents of NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland, NFU and Ulster Farmers Union held a separate meeting with farming ministers ahead of the extraordinary Agriculture Council, held in Belgium..
Over 6,000 farmers have turned out in a mass demonstration outside this meeting of EU farming ministers. The protest, organised by EU farming unions Copa and Cogeca, is aimed at drawing increased awareness to the dire state of the fresh produce market.
In a joint statement, the UK presidents said: “Right now, today, farmers are really struggling to pay their bills. This is having a huge impact not only on farming families, but for other businesses that rely on the farming sector.
“We have strongly urged our UK ministers to argue for more flexibility from the commission to allow the UK governments to pay farmers’ BPS and agri-environment monies at the very least on time and in full. This will help put money where it is needed most.”
Stephen James, NFU Cymru president, added: “There was agreement in the meeting that a widespread culture change is needed within the food supply chain to ensure that farmers see a fair share of risk and reward. The Westminster minister, Liz Truss, said this culture change will come about by building a consensus across the supply chain, and that she wanted government to show leadership by implementing the ambitious public procurement food policy across all government departments to see more local, high quality food procured.
“This needs to happen, and soon. We have asked for a clear timetable and agreed milestones to turn talk into action.
“The UK governments need to deliver on their promises; work together to achieve this culture change across the supply chain and to see real understanding of the cost of production to farmers.”.
Asda has launched a Farming Discussion Group aimed at Woman as part of a ongoing strategy to promote British farming.
The supermarket said it want to provide a platform “for like-minded business women” to discuss industry issues, share experiences and learn new skills.
Announcing the new group Asda’s agricultural manager Pearce Hughes, said the group aims to enable women to gain a better understanding of market trends, new products and latest technologies through visits to leading Asda farms and suppliers
Hughes added: “Women have always been a key part of the British farming industry, but for many years their role has been largely unrecognised.
“Today many of the leading farmers are women and we at Asda feel it is important to recognise and promote this. Farming is an industry in need of fresh new talent and women have an increasingly important role to play in feeding the nation.”
Milly Wastie, former chairman of the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs welcommed the move and Asda’s owners, Walmart’s commitment to gender equality: “The Asda Womens Farming Discussion Group also ties in with WalMart’s global Women’s Economic Empowerment strategy, which has a number of key goals, including increasing sourcing from women-owned business, empowering nearly 1m women through training and promoting diversity and inclusion within our merchandising and professional services suppliers
Farm-generated renewable energy has ‘huge potential’ but needs less red-tape and more policy support, says report
Farmers could be major players in creating a low-carbon energy system if barriers to investing in renewable energy were removed, a new report has said today.
The Farm Power coalition, made up of farming bodies and NGOs, has released a report today calling on supermarkets to buy more farm-generated energy.
Research, carried out by sustainability NGO Forum for the Future and Nottingham Trent University, found there is at least 10GW of untapped resource across UK farms – equivalent to more than three times the capacity of the proposed new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point.
To achieve this potential the report said that farmers need more reliable access to grid connections and supportive planning, as well as more accessible information about how to become an energy producer.
“Farms and rural communities can make a significant contribution to the sustainable energy mix but we need to collaborate to make it happen,” said head of technology for the National Grid, Neil Hughes.
Jonathan Scurlock, chief adviser for renewable energy and climate change at the NFU, said: “The NFU strongly endorses farm diversification into renewable energy, for export as well as for self-supply, where it supports profitable farming and underpins traditional agricultural production.
“We recognise that low-carbon energy production can actually enhance our national food security for only a modest land take, and the additional returns from renewables make farm businesses more resilient and better able to manage volatility in both the weather and in farm prices..”
Chair of Waitrose’s flagship farm, Leckford Estates, Lord Curry, said: “The Farm Power coalition is such an important initiative. It is bringing together key players in the industry to help provide direction to unlocking some of the many barriers that are currently impeding uptake, as well as a vision to the potential that farms could deliver for the UK.
“It’s in all our interests to get behind this and champion the benefits, and opportunity, that renewable energy technologies can bring to society and farming.”
Farm Power was founded by Forum for the Future, Farmers Weekly and Nottingham Trent University, and is guided by a committee made up of National Grid, United Utilities and the NFU.
Parents want more British food in schools and more education on food and farming, according to a recent poll for the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).
The YouGov poll for the NFU found that 76% of parents felt food should be sourced in Britain, wherever possible. The poll, which involved 1,100 parents, also found 87% of them felt that at least half of the ingredients in British school meals should be procured from British farms.
The results of the poll coincide with National School Meals Week and NFU deputy president Minette Batters said it would use these results to persuade head teachers to engage with their catering suppliers and supply chain to serve more British food in their school.
“As a mum myself, the results of this survey come as no surprise. It’s great that many parents are as passionate as me about the origin of school meals and their children being able to access a nutritious meal at lunchtime.
“It’s pleasing to see from the survey that 78% of parents will take up the offer of free school meals that are now available to all pupils up to the age of seven at schools across England. This is a great opportunity for school caterers and all those involved in the supply chain to back British farming, and purchase more seasonal local and British food.
As well as sourcing more British ingredients, the poll found 88% of parents thought it was very important that their children were taught about food production within farming, and where it comes from, as part of the school curriculum.
“We believe that knowing how food is grown, reared and processed is an important element of children’s food education. With food and farming now part of the school curriculum, we would urge teachers to connect with organisations such as Farming and Countryside Education (FACE) to organise on-farm educational visits, where pupils will be able to understand the work that goes into producing top-quality British food.
“The NFU has been working hard for change and is committed to being part of the independent School Food Plan. We will continue to play our part in ensuring schools source more British food and helping to focus ideas to provide a strong platform to build a bright future for our children – not just for lunch but through cooking and food education,” Batters concluded.