UK Food Security - A Fork in the Road

[Ribble]

 

[Ribble]

Would be interested to hear people's memories of the old organisations he mentioned no longer exist - proper Ministry of Ag, Marketing Boards, etc.

Were they useful or did they just get in the way? Need bringing back?

 

[Hilly]

Great till last bit ….

 

[DrWazzock]

Like most government organisations, never there when they are needed , always there when they aren’t.

 

[upnortheast]

ADAS when it was a free service, had some very good people working in this area.
Marketing Boards tended to be populated with the usual professional committee men. That's probably a bit harsh but you get the picture

 

[betweenthelines]

Wouldn't have needed a milk price thread in the days of the MMB-price was published months in advance with minor variations depending on the "region" you were in- Far West (Devon and Cornwall) Mid West (Somerset Dorset Wilts)

I think there was a summer (April-Sept) price and a winter price. Everyone knew where they were price wise and the MMB was a buffer between the farmer and the Dairy-remember the Plymouth Coop Dairy ringing up about a milk test problem once and father rang the Board-"nothing to do with the Coop", they said "you sell to MMB If they've got a problem they need to speak to us, not to you"

Some processors need to be put in their place like that these days.

 

[No wot]

When I started farming 40+ yrs ago , never hesitated to pick up the phone to get advice from the Ministry (ADAS) , forty + yrs on wouldn't dream of picking up the phone for any Ministry advice , how things change

 

[The Seeker]

How much would it cost uk farmers to pay into a fund a top lawyer to go through defra like a dose of salts

 

[MrNoo]

How much would it cost uk farmers to pay into a fund a top lawyer to go through defra like a dose of salts

Rather he started with Red Tractor, AIC, AHDB and the bent practises at NFU first please

 

[toquark]

Very sensible analysis, but I'm still at a loss as to how you convey it effectively to government. I'm with him when he says the only solution to this systematic complacency will be a crisis.

There's none so blind as those who will not see.

 

[tractorsandcows]

The Boards kept a lot of volatility out of the markets
Their abolition was the beginning of the end for small producers and has led to the exodus from farming and the stranglehold the supermarkets have on our industry

 

[DaveGrohl]

Very sensible analysis, but I'm still at a loss as to how you convey it effectively to government. I'm with him when he says the only solution to this systematic complacency will be a crisis.

There's none so blind as those who will not see.

The modern way with politicians now, ignore every piece of advice they hear until there’s a tsunami of sh1t washing up at their door. Planning in govt is loooong gone. And the likes of Gates, Musk, Bezos etc have way more power than every western govt anyway.