Imagine a world where British farmers, growers and assurance schemes felt valued in the same way the government froths about artificial intelligence. Where the fact that our food is produced to the highest standards in the world is of equal cause for celebration and investment as “mainlining” Google into the country’s veins.
It’s an important point to consider as farmers and assurance frameworks face more pressure than ever from government and some retailers. For the first part of the decade, meat producers were slammed on environment, welfare and nutrition, tipped to be replaced by plant-based burgers.
Fruit, veg and egg producers, meanwhile, have been muted by inflation, planning regulations and labour shortages. Any marriage under that kind of pressure would surely see at least one party get swiping on Tinder, before remembering ‘for better for worse’, and sensibly calling a marriage counsellor. But in the absence of any such counsellor, the climate has been torrid for many involved in producing food.
Farm Assurance Review
This week, the Farm Assurance Review was published. Most of these schemes were born from a shared purpose to build consumer trust, and to unify farmers, suppliers and retailers behind universal standards.
It’s a positive concept most would agree on. Recent Nexus research with 2,000 consumers found farming organisations (20%) and independent certifications (18%) were the most trusted sources for consumers when it comes to food information – second only to the NHS (39%) and government agencies (25%).
The review broadly concluded: “Farm assurance is critical to the industry’s future and is delivering necessary assurances on quality to consumers. However, it must make some fundamental changes to address growing frustration amongst farmers in how it is delivered.”
A high-functioning society needs a high-functioning agri-economy, yet successive governments – and some retailers – have taken for granted those who provide nourishment, environmental management, over four million jobs, and billions for the economy.
‘Brand Britain’
Farmers and assurance schemes should be viewed as a powerful elixir for ‘Brand Britain’. A new generation of government investment and retailer support will see them bind like a well-drilled scrum, heaving to keep out inferior imports.
Working together to create safe, nutritious, affordable, home-grown food that is respected around the world is essential to food security. The UK can continue to lead the world on quality, safety and welfare, driven by positive policy and better retailer culture creating the right climate for growth.
Farmers and assurance schemes can play a huge role in re-educating our nation on food, encouraging consumers to live healthier lifestyles and helping schools to follow the recently launched Chefs in Schools manifesto. The intellectual agri-capital our nation has is world-beating, our produce is outstanding. Great initiatives and educational programmes can, if supported more by government, secure future demand as well as tackling health and environmental challenges.
Recognising the importance of farmers and their support frameworks is the bigger picture. It future-proofs the UK on health, economic and environmental fronts.
Our prosperity as a species is predicated on high-quality food. Those we owe for our beef, eggs, cereal, clotted cream and juicy apples deserve to operate in a climate in which they can flourish.
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