Food chain tackled in the UK
from the food and farming industries to discuss their future in the
wake of devastation caused by the foot and mouth crisis. The
government confirmed its desire to promote green policies and
healthy eating.
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair this week gathered together leaders from the food and farming industries to discuss their future in the wake of devastation caused by the foot and mouth crisis. The government confirmed its desire to promote green policies and healthy eating.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, UK Agriculture minister Margaret Beckett said: "Today is the first step. There is much work to be done.Together we can deliver more sustainable food and farmingindustries which contribute to thriving rural economies andprotect and enhance our environment."
The initiatives she announced included the establishment of a permanent industry centre to link all parts of the food chain, aco-ordinated approach to healthy eating, five million pounds ofmarketing grants and a plan to boost organic food production.
At the meeting, Ben Gill, president of the UK National Farmers Union (NFU), spelled out farmers' and growers' commitment to helping themselves out of the on-going crisis. Gill announced that an industry group led by the NFU is to establish an "English Collaborative Board" to encourage farmers and growers to work together more effectively and improve their competitiveness in the market place.
"The English Collaborative Board will act as a centre of excellence to champion the principles of collaboration and joint venture, helping to create a better integrated food supply chain," Gill said.
The proposal for such a board was one of the key recommendations of the Food and Farming Policy Commission, chaired by Sir Don Curry, to take farming forward in the wake of foot and mouth.
At the other end of the food chain, food manufacturers voiced their support for the main aims of Sir Don's report after the meeting with the Prime Minister.
"It is clear that now is a time for action and today weset out how the FDF and the manufacturing sector can play its part in achieving the aims of the Commission," said the UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF).
"The manufacturing sector purchases around two thirds of the UK's farming output, around £11 billion. We want to sustain this market and see it grow. If farmers can produce what consumers tell us (and the retailers) they want to buy, we can sell it," the FDF continued.
Manufacturers also showed their support for the proposed Food Chain Centre. The FDF will participate in the projects set up by the centre and in thework to establish its priorities.
In addition, the FDF added: "The FDF accepts the Code of Practice although we feel that it could be tougher. We therefore welcome the suggestion to review the code and will participatein this.
We welcome the suggestion that suppliers should take on board the practices set out in the code - not least because we have no reason to believe thatour members engage in practices which would be outlawed by the Code.
The food and drink manufacturing industry overall has good relations withits UK suppliers. As far as farmers are concerned, they are crucial to us,since, we take about 70 per cent of what they produce. The two industries are symbiotic: a healthy thriving competitive food industry equates with a similar farm sector and vice versa."
Strong and committed words from all industries tied into the food chain. Now they must act.
