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March 15 2024 | £4.10 | Become a member from £2.09 | farmersguardian.com
THE HEART OF AGRICULTURE MACHINERY
FARM PROFILE
POTATOES
First drive: All-electric Fendt e107 V Vario
Farming in harmony with nature is key for estate
A focus on protecting actives and new seed kit
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RETAIL REFORM
● Sainsbury’s boss calls for change ● Farmers plan further protests THE UK’s food system is in need of fundamental reform if the country is to feed itself sustainably, a retail leader has warned. Simon Roberts, chief executive of Sainsbury’s, called for an end to the polarisation of the food supply chain which pits producers against retailers. He said: “Too often supermarkets are seen as one side of the food system and those who are suppliers, farmers and growers are perhaps on the other. This situation needs to change and I would like to set out a vision of how that change can be made.” Mr Roberts made the comments as the guest speaker at the annual City Food and Drink Lecture in London this week. In his speech entitled, Good Food Needs a Great Food System, he outlined a four-point plan involving improved policy; wider food chain partnerships; sustainability improvements; and greater consideration for customers. “Government needs to focus on maintaining food production with as much of the country’s food supplied from Britain as possible. Changes to
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NFU president Tom Bradshaw said the short-term attitude of supermarkets had hit farmers hard.
farm support have increased complexity and an unintended impact of new policy has been a pressure on UK food supply.” Mr Roberts, said the ‘revolving door of Defra Ministers’ had not helped the food or farming systems and called for a Minister of Food to be appointed who would work across various departments and report directly to the Prime Minister. He also pledged Sainsbury’s, the
UK’s second largest supermarket, would work harder to improve partnerships with farmers and suppliers and to improve its understanding of the pressures they face. He urged other supermarkets to do the same and to come together on key policy areas. NFU president Tom Bradshaw said he agreed with ‘95 per cent’ of what had been said. “UK farmers are very angry with retailers because they make extortion-
PICTURE: ALAMY
By Cedric Porter and Jane Thynne
ate profits and undermine our industry,” he added. Mr Bradshaw said the shorttermism of supermarkets had hit farmers hard. One member of the audience highlighted a retailer which had celebrated selling 1,400 tonnes of carrots for 15p/kg over Christmas and it was noted Sainsbury’s was selling British potatoes for 7.6p/kg during Christmas 2022. The argument comes as more farmer protests were planned. Earlier this week Save British Food announced it had joined forces with Kent-based Fairness for Farmers to organise a ‘go-slow’ tractor demonstration to Parliament on March 25. The groups were urging Government to block substandard imports, end ‘dishonest’ food labelling and take more action to address food security. Save British Food founder Liz Webster said: “At last retailers are asking, ‘Where are we going to get our food from?’ We cannot rely on countries such as Morocco – weather issues have taught us that. There are two wars going on and it is about time everyone woke up to the fact that our food system is in a very fragile state.”
13/03/2024 16:30