Countryside Matters_Archive 1999

	Archive pages 1999
	Contents: Click on the following links to read previous pages from Countryside Matters! - covering rural concerns from the past year. Radical changes - Autumn 1999: - Changes in agriculture could mean the end of small farms. Cheap food, prairie farming? - What kind of farming and countryside do the British people want? Abattoirs: - Government red-tape could lead to closure. Food for Thought - Autumn 1999: - Cheap food- who really pays for it? Farming Matters - From Farm to Supermarket and Facts about Farming (Dec 99) Archive Index	Main index
Back to Top	Radical Changes From articles in the farming press:- w/e 16/10/99 Farmers have been warned that one in four farms could go to the wall without affecting either food output or the environment. Mr.Sean Rickard and Professor John Marsh both warn that radical changes will be forced on the industry because of consumers and taxpayers perceptions together with the new round of World trade talks and E.U. expansion. The report 'Small and Family Farms - their role in the countryside and their future' states that small and family farms, accounting for some 66% of all U.K. holdings are under threat from production led subsidies and intensive farming practises. This report is put together by the Small and Family Farms Alliance and the WIldlife Trusts, it is supported by Friends of the Earth, the R.S.P.B. and the W.W.F.
Back to Top	"What kind of farming and countryside do the British people want?" So-called consumer groups insist that we want food that is wholesome, which has detailed provenance and at a low price. Supermarkets insist that their produce is excellent value for money and reserve the right to source their goods from anywhere in the world, regardless of animal welfare and production techniques. Very few people are, as yet, linking cheap food production methods with the degradation of the environment and 'prairie' farming. The truth is that we cannot have 'Chocolate Box Countryside with Prairie Prices'. The massive subsidies, which have had so much adverse publicity, have gone mainly to the larger arable farms; 80% of subsidies have gone to only 20% of farmers. This is because subsidies have been linked to production to deliberately lower the cost of food. Most of the farms which have received these payments in the past have been in the south and east of the country. The small farms in the west and north (where there is greatest bio-diversity) are the ones now in danger. I believe that:- 1) The government should instigate a nationwide discussion on the countryside, in which we all have an interest. 2) The 'Profit and Loss' account for farming should include such items as the environment and bio-diversity, not just money. 3) We cannot afford to leave farming, with its tremendous influence on the countryside and the ecology of our land, to the economic 'experts' and multi-national companies. Maybe if the government will not initiate a debate , the church should! The Church Commissioners are one of the largest landowners in the country. Maybe the Church of England should think through its ethical policy on farming and land use. At least it would be a start! Comments please to Terry Brighton, e-mail address on home page.
Back to Top	'Food' for Thought! Autumn 1999 Food is one of the essential things needed for life. So often now, taken for granted. Not so many years ago it was rationed and farmers were encouraged to grow all they could. Even allotment holders joined in the 'Digging for Victory' campaign! How things have changed! Because of the policy of successive governments 'cheap food' is now not only necessary, it is expected! The problem is that because of the removal of subsidies to comply with the World Trade Organisation rules, and imports from countries where labour costs are lower and animal welfare rules minimal, food is now sold 'at the farm gate' for less than the true cost of production. Who then pays the difference? In the past the tax payer has supported the U.K. farming community by means of subsidy payments. Now, however the reality of the price offered at the point of sale means that costs are sometimes not met. Many farmers are still in desperate straights and are being forced to make changes to their traditional farming methods to make ends meet. I believe that we are reaching a point where some hard questions need to be asked! Such as:- How far do we want, or need, a productive farming community in this country? How much are we willing to pay for the food we eat? Is it a realistic price in relation to production? (the extra cost of organic food reflects the true cost of production. Ordinary food is artificially under priced) How far is our dependence on cheap food, harming food producers world-wide and destroying our environment? What are *YOU* doing / willing to do about it? You may say that these matters fall outside of the church and are political rather than religious. However, God made men and women to live 'in community' and the answer to the question asked by Cain "Am I my brothers keeper?" is "Yes, I am!". We live in God's world and it is ours 'to till it and to keep it', (Genesis 4 v.9 and 2 v.15) If my demand for cheap food, so that I can spend the greater part of my income on luxury goods, leads to the exploitation of others and the land on which we all depend, then I am guilty of greed, one of the 'seven deadly sins'. My neighbour, and the environment in which we live are MY responsibility under God. T.W.B.
Back to Top	Abattoirs: Threat to small and medium abattoirs continues Farmers, the Rare Breeds Association and the Soil Association among others are asking for our help! There is still a threat hanging over the smaller abattoirs across the country. Those slaughtering less than 20 animals per week have been given some relief from the proposed legislation covering inspection (needing 100% veterinary supervision). However for those who slaughter 50-60 animals per week charges will be the same as for the big industial plants that can kill an animal every 10 seconds.These will be unable to operate cost effectively. They believe that the implications are massive in terms of human health and animal welfare; for farmers markets and the organic sector. These cannot be certain that, even if the large abattoirs will slaughter for them (which they feel is unlikely) that they can be 100% certain of getting their own animal back. At present with the small abattoirs they do have that confidence. We are asked to write urgently, even if we have written before, to Mr.Nick Brown and to your own MP. Please feel free to copy the letter below, or compose your own. There are a few extra notes at the end of the letter to help you. Thank you To: The Rt. Hon. Nick Brown. The House of Commons, Westminster, London, SW1A 0AA Dear Mr. Brown, I am writing to express my concern at the excessive inspection charges still being proposed for small abattoirs. Increases of 200 - 6,000% are unfair, unreasonable and will push small and middle sized abattoirs out of business. For every small abattoir that closes 20 other jobs may be affected, and medium sized abattoirs may employ up to 40 people - plus the 'knock-on' effect. This will have a devastating effect on the rural economy. Organic farmers and the rearers of rare breeds could find it impossible to have their animals slaughtered, or to verify which are actually their carcases. Farmers have been told to diversify and are selling their products in farm shops, through farmers markets and organic shops. All of these businesses too will be threatened if these abattoirs go out of business. Freedom of choice needs to be maintained for both producer and consumer. There is also the question of animal welfare to be considered. (If the last abattoir on the Isle of Wight closes as a result of these measures, all livestock will have to be brought off the island by ferry for slaughter and the carcases returned!) Across the country animal welfare will suffer as cattle are trucked up to 200 miles to the big slaughter houses, who may not even want to bother with small numbers! Animals are also stressed by the system of cattle runs big firms need to use. Small firms are more humane and less stress means better quality meat. I understand that there is provision made for small abattoirs under the 1991 amendment to Directive 64/433. Please implement this and withdraw, rather than postpone, these proposed charges while putting in place the necessary legislation for a 'throughput' policy for all abattoirs. Charges will then be fairly distributed across the industry. In addition the interpretation of the rules should be the same across the EU with regard to the meat inspectors qualification. Yours sincerely, Note to letter writers. Please send a copy of the letter to your own M.P. as well as the one to Nick Brown. Some of the proposed charges have been deferred for the smallest abattoirs in the short term, but the medium sized abattoirs are still under threat. 'Throughput' means that any payment is made per animal passing through the abattoir. The derogation rules permit a different system of checks allowing for the fact that the abattoir is not in full use every day. Small firms also carry less chance of infection (easier to keep clean, and very conscious of the need to supply a good product to their customers many of whom they will know personally.) The abattoir on the Isle of White closed shortly after this was written!!!
Back to Top	Farming Matters ! For millions of people today 'food' comes from a Supermarket. but of course in reality food only reaches us via a huge chain. Working backwards:- The hauliers who bring it to the Supermarket or shop; The processors who prepare it; The buyers who get it from central markets; Hauliers again; Buyers who negotiate a price 'at the farm gate'; The farmers who produce the food. Even before B.S.E. British farming was in crisis due to the fall in prices of foodstuffs on the world-wide market, and the strength of the Pound Stirling. The reality is that food can be produced cheaper overseas, where labour is cheap and animal and human welfare regulations are minimal. Facts about Farms In 1998/9 Specialist dairy farms earned on average £6800 Lowland livestock farms made a Loss of £4300 Hill livestock farms earned on average £5700 Mainly cropping farms made a Loss of £5200 Farm prices have fallen for the third year running: Milk prices fell by 10% Cattle sale prices by 12 - 20% Sheep sale prices by 15 - 25% Cereal prices by 11% Some large farmers have done well out of the Common Agricultural Policy (C.A.P.), but 125,000 farms in Britain are under 125 acres and this is true of 64% of South West farms. Most are struggling. Although under 2% of the population is now directly involved with agriculture, in many parts of the country (including the rural areas of the South West) when allied trades are taken into account the figure rises to over 25%. (Allied trades include feed providers, agricultural machinery, vets, builders, seed merchants, etc.) In the *short term* what is needed is solidarity and support. In the long term we need to do some hard thinking together about priorities. What kind of farming? What kind of land use? What kind of communities? and what kind of countryside do we want our grandchildren and great-grandchildren to inherit? FARMING MATTERS! Suggestion:- Get in touch with a local farmer and ask if he can organise an informal visit to his farm for you and your friends. If you belong to a church or a local group like the W.I. or Probus why not ask a local farmer to talk about his life and work? If you live in an urban area get in touch with a local branch of the National Farmers Union (NFU) and ask for their advice and help. It is important that as many people as possible know and understand the complicated process and true cost of food production. (If you fail to get help locally please get in touch with me - details on 'Home Page')
Back to top	Archive Index - More on this and other topics 'Food' for Thought: - Spring 2000; job losses, food labelling and GM crops. Recent articles	Main Index Homepage