Friends of the Earth campaigners are the allies not enemies of British growers according to Vicky Hird, one of its newly-appointed senior members.

With three years experience working for Sustain, Hird told delegates at the Horticulture in Focus conference 2005 she was very passionate about getting more produce grown in the UK.

There are many problems occurring with regards to fairness in the supply chain, which must be addressed if growers are going to stay competitive, she said. And if they can contribute to retail diversity, which is better for farmers, as well as cultural and other aspects, a sustainable future would be possible for UK produce, she added.

Hird said: “If we have less choice and more long distance supply it will be difficult to get people to eat more.“

In addition, she highlighted the importance of addressing the issue of quality economic growth, to maintain food money within the industry and create quality jobs.

Getting people to eat more healthily and value fresh produce doesn’t have to mean lowering prices, she claimed. “Iceberg doesn’t necessarily need to be cheaper to have value,” she said. “The question is how much growers can make for their produce within the limits of pesticides etc.”

Hird said farmers faced the debate of implementing voluntary charters or meaningful regulation - a case of minnows versus giants, but modification would be vital for progression whatever the decision.

“The current code of practise is so weak retailers agreed to be bound by it. And suppliers are too frightened to complain,” she said. “We need a body to represent growers and suppliers who will follow through with complaints.”

Hird claimed the wording of the current code was so weak that supermarkets could still undermine the viability of growers.

She proposed the code should be strengthened and made mandatory to all retailers with a market strategy of eight per cent or above, to cover the whole supply chain.

Topics