Nick Adams
Member
- Location
- Ashbourne, Derbyshire
If anyone's interested here is the article I have written for the November edition of British Farmer and Grower (East Midlands)
"A question that has been on my mind recently is the importance of trade to us in the Brexit negotiations. As a net importer of agricultural produce in an affluent mature market shouldn't we be more focussed on import substitution and supplying what our consumers demand?
Much has been made of the drive to export to China, with trade missions and delegations, no doubt at great expense. Apparently they are now accepting some of the less palatable parts of our livestock. I wonder if the net return to the producer is any greater than if it had been processed as fertiliser or, if we were allowed, protein feed for our monogastrics.
Of course we should export high value products like Scotch whisky, fillet steak and our amazing cheese. The greatest concern is access to the the European lamb market. But we are barely self sufficient in sheep meat, if the Europeans decide they don't want our lamb then market forces should direct our current imports to what would become an under supplied market. Our failure to increase domestic sheep meat sales must be addressed. Lamb dishes can be palatable to younger consumers, the Asian population is growing and the back story of environment, welfare and healthy eating has not been marketed.
A lot of trade is in what to farmers are obscure products such as milk constituents and the liquid egg and ground dried beef of the recent food scandals. I question what benefit this trade returns to farmers. We are all aware of the damage that can be caused as these long and complicated supply chains are prone to malpractice.
So let's focus on doing a better job of supplying our own market. And as my father used to say, I should stop asking questions and get on with it!"
"A question that has been on my mind recently is the importance of trade to us in the Brexit negotiations. As a net importer of agricultural produce in an affluent mature market shouldn't we be more focussed on import substitution and supplying what our consumers demand?
Much has been made of the drive to export to China, with trade missions and delegations, no doubt at great expense. Apparently they are now accepting some of the less palatable parts of our livestock. I wonder if the net return to the producer is any greater than if it had been processed as fertiliser or, if we were allowed, protein feed for our monogastrics.
Of course we should export high value products like Scotch whisky, fillet steak and our amazing cheese. The greatest concern is access to the the European lamb market. But we are barely self sufficient in sheep meat, if the Europeans decide they don't want our lamb then market forces should direct our current imports to what would become an under supplied market. Our failure to increase domestic sheep meat sales must be addressed. Lamb dishes can be palatable to younger consumers, the Asian population is growing and the back story of environment, welfare and healthy eating has not been marketed.
A lot of trade is in what to farmers are obscure products such as milk constituents and the liquid egg and ground dried beef of the recent food scandals. I question what benefit this trade returns to farmers. We are all aware of the damage that can be caused as these long and complicated supply chains are prone to malpractice.
So let's focus on doing a better job of supplying our own market. And as my father used to say, I should stop asking questions and get on with it!"