Remember when i was ridiculed for "Food Security" claims?

[Lowland1]

If you are getting more than the cost of production then surely thats a fair price. If everyone could make a living off two cows or a couple of acres of land then of course what would happen is some people would be happy with the status quo but others would think well if i have four cows or four acres I'll have twice as much money. All thats happened with subsidies is that it has allowed those people already in farming to have an unfair advantage over anyone who would like to get in. The issue with food security at present is a logistical one not a quantity issue people are not stocking up on prime scottish beef but with own brand beef burgers and pasta. The government will be thinking not on how to produce it but how to get it in. To make money out of this situation you will need a warehouse full of baked beans and toilet paper not a field of cows or a field of broccoli.

 

[Scribus]

Not sure if anyone remembers but one of my main reasons for backing support for farmers was food security, many on here laughed when i mentioned the fact we are an island with over 60m people and a disease outbreak could leave us relying on other countries for our food supply, the fact rationing is now being discussed and flour mills around the world are struggling to keep up with demand after the publics mass panick buying (which i was also ridiculed for suggesting could happen),

Where would the world be in the face of a global pandemic if left to market forces and it only produced enough food as was viably possible?

Ridicule often has one of two underlying causes. The first is that you are disturbing somebody's comfort zone in a way that they cannot protect through logic, argument or debate, either because they are not equipped with the arguments or there are none. The second is because you have exposed a hidden agenda or ploy designed to influence others in a subliminal way.

Your concerns over food production matches the first while my exposure of EVs as not being about saving the planet at all fits the second. Personally I can see 5G as the next major item which will eventually be exposed as a dangerous development.

BTW, I never took issue with your thoughts on food scarcity, the UK is far too reliant on imported foodstuffs and has been for a long long time.

 

[ajd132]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1241507154030473216

here is a very good thread on the matter

 

[Bobthebuilder]

cows still need milked and stock still get fat and i would think there will be a fair bit of cereals in storage bins, so why isn't it on the shelves ? we had a wagon cancelled at the last minute yesterday that was coming for 12 fat cattle with the hotels and restaurants closed there should be plenty food for the shelves but it's not getting there for some reason

 

[Dave645]

If you are getting more than the cost of production then surely thats a fair price. If everyone could make a living off two cows or a couple of acres of land then of course what would happen is some people would be happy with the status quo but others would think well if i have four cows or four acres I'll have twice as much money. All thats happened with subsidies is that it has allowed those people already in farming to have an unfair advantage over anyone who would like to get in. The issue with food security at present is a logistical one not a quantity issue people are not stocking up on prime scottish beef but with own brand beef burgers and pasta. The government will be thinking not on how to produce it but how to get it in. To make money out of this situation you will need a warehouse full of baked beans and toilet paper not a field of cows or a field of broccoli.

Logistics is correct but the longer the supply chain the greater the logistics. Hence it’s better if we have local production or local supply.
potatoes are not in short supply because they are locally grown and have a very short supply chain.

In a time of shortage what ever the cause (panic buying hoarding etc) quality is the last thing on anyone’s mind a ready supply is, when something takes 4 plus days to get to the UK this is where shortages come about that and the fact all supply chains have Production limits, and time delays, but that’s not accounting for all the problems we are seeing, if it was just that 7 days or so and supply chains would adjust to cope It’s not just that is it or they would have flooded the shops with toilet paper by now.

Next ask your self this, if plenty of toilet paper is being made but it’s in short supply, who is going to get first shout of that toilet paper the country that makes it or the countries that import it, who is going to pay more the country that makes it or the country that imports it.?

if your a government who needs do you see to first?
This is the big question if this shortage was just in the uk, then it would soon sort it’s self out, but it’s not it’s EU wide, at some point governments will step in to Guarantee local supply's, now that is not likely to happen unless actual shortages exist, but this is why it’s a great time to encourage the government to not allow UK farming to compete with poorer quality products On price.

I have no clue why we would throw food security out of the window in trade talks but it’s a risk, a risk that this crysis and shortages is highlighting. There is no better time to highlight the benefits of local supply.
I will come back to logistics, in the end we can never be 100% self Sufficient, because we like foods not seasonally grown in this country, so logistically stupid to remove, so we should not be aiming for that we need to aim for what’s actually feasible.
Which is likely 70-80% but don’t quote or shoot me that’s a guess.

 

[delilah]

If there is to be a future, it will be local. If it wasn't for social distancing I would give @Bossfarmer a big hug and welcome him into the lunatic fringe green wing of TFF.

However, as others have hinted at - though not addressed head on - the issue is not production but everything that goes on beyond the farm gate, ie the structure of the food chain. Market share is the root of all evil.

 

[Hilly]

Not really a good idea to eat uncooked (that you eat raw) salads or fruit hat have been handled by potentially infected staff.

H oh w do you cook it without touching it brining it into your home etc etc just better off without it full stop I’d say .

 

[Borlace1]

Not sure if anyone remembers but one of my main reasons for backing support for farmers was food security, many on here laughed when i mentioned the fact we are an island with over 60m people and a disease outbreak could leave us relying on other countries for our food supply, the fact rationing is now being discussed and flour mills around the world are struggling to keep up with demand after the publics mass panick buying (which i was also ridiculed for suggesting could happen),

Where would the world be in the face of a global pandemic if left to market forces and it only produced enough food as was viably possible?

[/QUOTE Hi, Rachel Borlace here (Midlands Asset Finance), no one is laughing now. Its scary times for everyone but the importance of farming is highlighted even more now which I think is good for the British public to realise when thinking about their buying choices for the future.

 

[JP1]

My fear is that urban Britain sees a load of you should thank a farmer posts on SM

The Government use the supermarket planners and distribution models to get food out. They pay lip service to farmers but as long as the supermarkets do something, that's as much as they can do



Current picture. Some community spirited farmers are winning local kudos. Commodity suppliers and their NFU reps are not even noticed

Future picture, supermarket chiefs will have easy access to the COBRA rooms

 

[E_B]

@Bossfarmer is one of the most informed contributors on here.

 

[Farmer1001]

Food security is more than simply the amount of food, food security is mostly about access to it. We absolutely don't "need" British farmers to feed the UK in normal times as there is plenty of food producing nations who can supply cheaper volumes than us, however what we have seen is the food is there but the supply chain is insecure. I fear consumers will quickly revert to old habits of trusting everything is fine in the belief it probably won't happen again - until it does. My biggest problem right now is not having enough cattle, sheep or pork available to meet the demand we are experiencing right now, my challenge for the future is to ensure I keep these new customers going forward, and that they see the benefits of buying direct where possible and the security it gives them.

 

[Bossfarmer]

I think if bossfarmer actually saw the struggle many have to endure every week just to live he may have to rethink his bleating about the poor farmers plight.
And for many things have got a whole lot worse. They cant even go out of their shabby flat in a horrible place in town unlike the farmer who is in a good place really.

so people are being paid to stay indoors and watch netflix yet ive been up all night at calving/lambing 3hrs sleep and about to go away out on the plough, if i catch it or brother my whole business is at risk with all this stock to get calved/lambed spring crop to get in, if a townie gets it theyre in isolation in bed all day anyway? im out here on the coalface grafting, weathers put me weeks behind!! REALITY CHECK

 

[Bossfarmer]

So you literally want to be subsidized to produce rubbish.
Subsidize me so people can throw cheap food in the bin!

if you feel that way why are you even farming at all?

 

[Bossfarmer]

your level of blinkered self righteous self important arrogance & belief in being exceptional above all others is staggering . . .
I don’t know how you maintain the energy

your level of bitterness is appauling

 

[JP1]

so people are being paid to stay indoors and watch netflix yet ive been up all night at calving/lambing 3hrs sleep and about to go away out on the plough, if i catch it or brother my whole business is at risk with all this stock to get calved/lambed spring crop to get in, if a townie gets it theyre in isolation in bed all day anyway? im out here on the coalface grafting, weathers put me weeks behind!! REALITY CHECK

Reality check is you're a lot less likely to get it than most

Reality check is many who are prevented from leaving their houses will not have a capital base or income to sustain them as much as dare I suggest you

Reality is that £94/week doesn't go that far

Reality is there are many who work longer hours and are away from their families longer than farmers. Many working men don't see their young kids all week

Reality is we still have a far greater quality of life than most and we have a massive amount of concessions on tax, planning, rules etc

 

[Clive]

Not sure if anyone remembers but one of my main reasons for backing support for farmers was food security, many on here laughed when i mentioned the fact we are an island with over 60m people and a disease outbreak could leave us relying on other countries for our food supply, the fact rationing is now being discussed and flour mills around the world are struggling to keep up with demand after the publics mass panick buying (which i was also ridiculed for suggesting could happen),

Where would the world be in the face of a global pandemic if left to market forces and it only produced enough food as was viably possible?

imports are still coming in, filled my shipping basket yesterday with all sorts of fruit and produce form other countries - so what is your point ?

supermarkets are back to normal within 2 weeks of panic buying starting, their only issue was a sort term logistics, never one of supply

 

[Farmer Roy]

your level of bitterness is appauling

bitter ?
hahaha

nah, I’m not bitter
just shocked at your level of exceptionalism

 

[Bossfarmer]

Logistics is correct but the longer the supply chain the greater the logistics. Hence it’s better if we have local production or local supply.
potatoes are not in short supply because they are locally grown and have a very short supply chain.

In a time of shortage what ever the cause (panic buying hoarding etc) quality is the last thing on anyone’s mind a ready supply is, when something takes 4 plus days to get to the UK this is where shortages come about that and the fact all supply chains have Production limits, and time delays, but that’s not accounting for all the problems we are seeing, if it was just that 7 days or so and supply chains would adjust to cope It’s not just that is it or they would have flooded the shops with toilet paper by now.

Next ask your self this, if plenty of toilet paper is being made but it’s in short supply, who is going to get first shout of that toilet paper the country that makes it or the countries that import it, who is going to pay more the country that makes it or the country that imports it.?

if your a government who needs do you see to first?
This is the big question if this shortage was just in the uk, then it would soon sort it’s self out, but it’s not it’s EU wide, at some point governments will step in to Guarantee local supply's, now that is not likely to happen unless actual shortages exist, but this is why it’s a great time to encourage the government to not allow UK farming to compete with poorer quality products On price.

I have no clue why we would throw food security out of the window in trade talks but it’s a risk, a risk that this crysis and shortages is highlighting. There is no better time to highlight the benefits of local supply.
I will come back to logistics, in the end we can never be 100% self Sufficient, because we like foods not seasonally grown in this country, so logistically stupid to remove, so we should not be aiming for that we need to aim for what’s actually feasible.
Which is likely 70-80% but don’t quote or shoot me that’s a guess.

i would agree and as the weeks go by and this virus spreads the risk of delays or a stop to all this imported food grows, had we been more self sufficient we wouldnt be relying on this long winded supply chain, local food can easily be transported the farmers themself could even turn to haulage over local areas if rules were relaxed 65k tractors now as long as the food is here it can be distributed

 

[Bossfarmer]

imports are still coming in, filled my shipping basket yesterday with all sorts of fruit and produce form other countries - so what is your point ?

supermarkets are back to normal within 2 weeks of panic buying starting, their only issue was a sort term logistics, never one of supply

my point is imagine the food WASNT coming in, what then.........

 

[JP1]

my point is imagine the food WASNT coming in, what then.........

You may no longer be in charge of your farm, or me of my livestock ..........................