Why doesn’t Britain value its farmers? This crisis has shown we need to think very carefully about how the nation feeds itself

[Eildon Hill]

Why doesn't Britain value its farmers?

This crisis has shown we need to think very carefully about how the nation feeds itself

unherd.com

 

[M-J-G]

The nation does need to consider how it feeds itself, but it won't.

 

[DaveGrohl]

That is the best article I've read in a long while. Balanced and sensible but making very important points without resorting to hysteria.

 

[delilah]

Sorry James, but you're as bad as the rest of them.
Your book is fantastic. In that article you write eloquently, as you always do, about the failings in the modern food system.
And then you throw it all out the window with that one line.
And once a week, my wife travels to the local supermarket for supplies.

 

[andybk]

Sorry James, but you're as bad as the rest of them.
Your book is fantastic. In that article you write eloquently, as you always do, about the failings in the modern food system.
And then you throw it all out the window with that one line.
And once a week, my wife travels to the local supermarket for supplies.

i would have thought that was the exact point he was making ! the system and big business has encouraged the destruction of local supply chains , gone is the butcher / baker / milkman ,post office etc , mainly because of business rates and fuel costs on someone selling a few hundred £ of goods a week , the local abattoir has been shut because they cant afford to comply with new euro regulation encouraged by the big processors (inc vet inspections £££) .So wife has to do a huge shop in tesco once a week .

 

[delilah]

i would have thought that was the exact point he was making ! the system has encouraged the destruction of local supply chains , gone is the butcher / baker / milkman ,mainly because of business rates and fuel costs , the local abattoir has been shut because they cant afford to comply with euro regulation (vet inspections) so wife has to do a huge shop in tesco once a week .

He doesn't say that though. He doesn't talk about the root causes behind the destruction of the supply chain making it impossible for him to buy local. He just says the missus did the weekly supermarket shop, with no hint that it, in itself, is part of the problem.

Millions of people don't give a sh!t. That's fine, they don't pretend otherwise. If you are going to say that you do give a sh!t - and be paid by publishers to say so - then it is beholden on you to make an effort. I bet I could live where James does and live quite happily without setting foot in a supermarket.

In that article he has missed a golden opportunity to talk about the root causes of the problems he identifies. Why has he missed that opportunity ? Because he doesn't understand the root causes ? Then he should.

Anyway, gotta dash, lambs to abattoir .

edit: just read it again.
It's just another whingeing farmer article.
Better written than most, granted, but that's all it is.
I don't want to read about problems. I can come on TFF for that. I want to read about solutions.
What are James' solutions ?
He concludes by saying this:
Because if another disaster strikes — and it will — then I want a significant share of my diet to be available within walking distance of where I live. I want to know where I can source food for my family, and if that means I pay a bit more for food in the good times, then so be it.
Can't argue with that. How to achieve it, James ?

 

[BDBed]

Just heard an advert on the radio for Morrison’s. The whole message was about how they’ll keep the nation feed. The more I think about it, there is more and more shameless advertising from the supermarkets trying to get the nation to think they will save the day! No mention of where they get the food from. They will use this to there advantage and that’s why this nation has no valve on the farmer at all. They are being kept out of sight!!!

 

[JP1]

Just heard an advert on the radio for Morrison’s. The whole message was about how they’ll keep the nation feed. The more I think about it, there is more and more shameless advertising from the supermarkets trying to get the nation to think they will save the day! No mention of where they get the food from. They will use this to there advantage and that’s why this nation has no valve on the farmer at all. They are being kept out of sight!!!

They've already convinced Government

 

[Bald Rick]

Maybe - just maybe - it might slow down this government's dash to do trade deals Willy nilly post Brexit without much thought for its own farmers
But I ain't holding my breath

 

[DaveGrohl]

Just heard an advert on the radio for Morrison’s. The whole message was about how they’ll keep the nation feed. The more I think about it, there is more and more shameless advertising from the supermarkets trying to get the nation to think they will save the day! No mention of where they get the food from. They will use this to there advantage and that’s why this nation has no valve on the farmer at all. They are being kept out of sight!!!

Not really a shock though is it? Supermarket promotes itself, same old same old.

 

[Old McDonald]

Not really a shock though is it? Supermarket promotes itself, same old same old.

That is not a shock either is it? Have you ever heard a fishmonger shout "Stinking fish"?

Which reminds me of one of the best from a fishmonger. On the Black Isle is/was a fishmonger by the name of Mair. On the sides of their van(s) was "Eat Mair Fish". I thought that beat even my advertising of having the address Hazza Farm.

 

[Grassman]

Do we value our shoe makers, clothing manufacturers, car makers, tractor manufacturers, dealers, Tools, etc, etc?
Do we heck. Time to rethink is nigh or we will lose all our local manufacturers and eventually be just another chinese province.

 

[glasshouse]

Do we value our shoe makers, clothing manufacturers, car makers, tractor manufacturers, dealers, Tools, etc, etc?
Do we heck. Time to rethink is nigh or we will lose all our local manufacturers and eventually be just another chinese province.

I propose a return to linen clothes

 

[averageguy54]

They can't value what they don't understand. Most consumers have absolutely no idea of the relationship between farms and them.
If you want them to value British farms they have to be shown how the connection works.

 

[kiwi pom]

They can't value what they don't understand. Most consumers have absolutely no idea of the relationship between farms and them.
If you want them to value British farms they have to be shown how the connection works.

Personally I think farmers are generally well regarded by the public compared to a lot of other professions. I'm not sure what everyone's supposed to do to thank them. Most farmers have no idea about any of the careers non farmers, or 'the general public' as they are known on here may have. Judging by the some of the comments on here they certainly aren't appreciated by farmers, so why should it work the other way?

 

[kiwi pom]

Maybe - just maybe - it might slow down this government's dash to do trade deals Willy nilly post Brexit without much thought for its own farmers
But I ain't holding my breath

Would it not make them more likely to do deals? More partners = more security, if one goes down, there's more that can help.

What exactly has Britain run short of in the last month or so when it comes to food that could have been supplied more locally?
I'm guessing there's not much salad grown in Scotland in March?
If it does anything the Governments more likely to strengthen the supply chain and maybe increase the storage of some products?
Putting all your eggs in one basket and depending on the supply of "local food" seems a very risky way to go.
I remember the panic on here in 2018(?) when it didn't rain in the UK for a few weeks.

 

[Bald Rick]

Would it not make them more likely to do deals? More partners = more security, if one goes down, there's more that can help.

What exactly has Britain run short of in the last month or so when it comes to food that could have been supplied more locally?
I'm guessing there's not much salad grown in Scotland in March?
If it does anything the Governments more likely to strengthen the supply chain and maybe increase the storage of some products?
Putting all your eggs in one basket and depending on the supply of "local food" seems a very risky way to go.
I remember the panic on here in 2018(?) when it didn't rain in the UK for a few weeks.

Don’t have any problem with trade deals per se so long as they don’t sell us down the river ... which looked very probable before the virus
Perhaps it may just give Bojo and Cummings pause for thought

 

[kiwi pom]

Don’t have any problem with trade deals per se so long as they don’t sell us down the river ... which looked very probable before the virus
Perhaps it may just give Bojo and Cummings pause for thought

I think they need setting up to help you with the export market too.
UK produce should be in high demand around the world.
If you can get twice the price selling cheese, beef, lamb or butter to say America then who cares where UK supermarkets get their stock from?

 

[SilliamWhale]

He says Britain doesn't value farmers but you would think he would be having a tidy slug from Farm Payment and Enviro scheme wouldn't he? What is he wanting exactly?

I'd agree that as a policy priority agriculture and food security was withering away but the modern consumer does seem to be wanting peppers and orzo and avocado and lemons etc. more than sweetbreads at the moment.

I have got more conscious of buying less supermarket meat over the past few years but I'm not quite sure what he is wanting. I'd agree our veg system looks a bit skewed but you can join any number of veg box scheme easier than you ever used to (plenty in Cumbria too). British Strawberries are an amazing success story, I still scratch my head why I can't get a decent British pear though.

 

[averageguy54]

Personally I think farmers are generally well regarded by the public compared to a lot of other professions. I'm not sure what everyone's supposed to do to thank them. Most farmers have no idea about any of the careers non farmers, or 'the general public' as they are known on here may have. Judging by the some of the comments on here they certainly aren't appreciated by farmers, so why should it work the other way?

I agree that farmers are fairly well regarded by the public, that's not the problem. The majority of the public know that a truck backs up to the supermarket and unloads food to put on the shelf for them to buy. That is the extent of their knowledge of the food chain. They have absolutely no idea how a farm fits into that picture. I lived in the city for a good many years and some of these people are just mind boggling with their lack of knowledge.