Soil Association proposals branded "disproportionate"

Pro-aviation coalition FlyingMatters and the Kenya High Commission have issued a joint response to the Soil Association’s proposals to introduce tougher standards on airfreight, slamming them as “unjustified and disproportionate”.

The response stated: “We do not believe that the Soil Association proposals embody social equity or proportionality, and represent a ‘stick’ rather than a ‘carrot’ approach to long term-sustainability.”

FlyingMatters and the Kenya High Commission are calling on the Soil Association to refocus its approach on the broader issue of transport, food and the environment, rather than singling out airfreight - particularly when organic farmers in Africa and other parts of the developing world have no alternative means to get their produce to market.

The response urges the Soil Association “to recognise that the debate on food miles is a complicated one, and that there is no single easy answer.

“We believe the Soil Association has a valuable role to play in educating consumers that a balanced, rather than a blanket, approach is needed. We believe that only in this way would the Soil Association retain the consumer trust and support which is essential to the success of its aims.”

The joint response to the Soil Association follows a round table meeting organised by FlyingMatters and attended by representatives from Kenya, Ghana and other parts of the developing world to discuss the impact of the proposals and how to respond to them.

Brian Wilson, chairman of FlyingMatters, said: “Together, FlyingMatters and the Kenya High Commission represent a very wide range of interests, all of whom believe that the Soil Association needs to look again at these proposals. When the very people that ethical trade standards are supposed to protect are pleading with the Soil Association to change its approach, one has to wonder what the real agenda is here.

“The Soil Association is a trusted and respected brand, but it is in danger of throwing away that hard-earned reputation by unfairly targeting farmers in the developing world.”