Why Farming Matters

I am here in a unique position. I see this issue from a practical farmer's point of view and as well as a consumer’s point of view.

British Farming does not go anywhere with out the support of consumers.

I do not want to see British consumers lose out, by not being able to buy British Beef and Lamb through a decline in production.

I am delighted that the National Council of Women and the Townswomen’s Guild feel as strongly as I do about the issue of British consumers

Beef and sheep farming has created a beautiful Britain through good agricultural practice over 100’s of years. Cattle and sheep have grazed the uplands keeping the coarse grasses in check and allowing the heather and bilberries to thrive.

Sheep have also had a significant effect on the moulding of our Lowlands, and have always produced a plentiful supply of quality traceable food.

Beef and Sheep farmers have fallen by 12,500 in the last 10 years which if continued will have a devastating effect on our upland landscape. It will become derelict and overgrown, at a time when more people are being encouraged to enjoy walking in the countryside.

British food is produced to stringent standards that are independently inspected at every critical stage from farm to pack. The red tractor Assured food standard mark is one of the best recognised standard marks. Foreign food has an influence on agriculture.

We now produce approximately 60% of the food we consume, the rest is imported.

10 years ago we produced around 70% of our food and if we go back another 10 years we produced over 80% of our food.

Producing less food with an expanding population does create too great a reliance on imports.

As consumers this gives us great concerns. The fact that the farming industry in the southern hemisphere has had severe drought over the last 5 years has had a big influence on the availability of food worldwide. There is no longer a surplus supply of our staple foods, so availability of food is no longer guaranteed

A world with a rapidly expanding population together with increasing demand for food from increasingly prosperous consumers in India and China will put additional pressure on global food supplies

We as consumers feel that Britain must become less reliant on foreign imports. Farmers were instructed by the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy to remove land from production some years ago. 1.8 million acres were taken out of food production.

In 2008 this land will be returned to production.

It is important that some of this land is used to produce staple foods, as well as crops for bio diesel.

Reforms within the agricultural policy over the last few years has meant that less food has been produced in Britain

A long term strategy is needed for providing a reliable supply of British quality Beef and Lamb for the future.

It wouldn’t be out of order to have in the Government a well-informed and motivated team led by a Minister for Agriculture and Food who understands the importance of securing a reliable and continuous supply of food for the British Consumer.

The current perception that “there is plenty of cheap food out there” is short term and irresponsible.

We need to see long term, fair priced contracts from the supply chain to build a more sustainable industry, to prevent British Beef and Lamb becoming a niche product.

Food has never been cheaper, with consumers spending just 9% of their income on food, compared with 22% 40 years ago.

An increase in farm gate prices will benefit the whole of the rural economy and see more investment in countryside management.

The drive for cheap food has been at the root of many farming and rural problems.

The end of cheap food around the world will be good news for developing countries, which will be able to realise their agricultural potential.

British farmers will become even more important as providers of food for us all in a rapidly changing world.

Consumers are becoming very aware of this.

That is why Farming Matters.