According to AHDB, the majority of top dishes in the UK are still meat driven, with 97 per cent of burgers being meat or poultry-based. Moreover, nearly nine in ten Asian-cuisine meals and 80 per cent of Indian-cuisine meals include MFP, highlighting its importance for driving value out of home.

Meanwhile, despite the increasing popularity of Veganuary, no January increase in meat-free meals in the out-of-home market was recorded. In fact, vegetarian and plant-based foods only account for 15.1 per cent of market spend, despite a year-on-year increase of 23.1 per cent.

The premium price of plant-based meals might partly explain the trend, with the average price of a meat-free meal out of home being £7.49, compared with £3.76 for pork, £5.52 for beef and £5.65 for chicken, AHDB and Kantar analysis has shown. Whereas, the average price of a vegetarian meal was estimated at £5.06.

Rebecca Gladman, AHDB retail insight manager, commented: “Amidst the cost-of-living backdrop, consumers will inevitably look for ways to save money. While vegetarian meals are competitively priced, plant-based dishes do come at a premium to pork, beef and chicken.

“Therefore, the main area of risk for the meat category in the out-of-home market isn’t meat alternatives, but rather dishes that are vegetarian by nature, such as cheese sandwiches and meat-free pizzas.”

A key difference between MFP and meat-free meals in the out-of-home market is where they are consumed or bought. While MFP meals are more likely to be bought in fast-food restaurants, meat-free options such as vegetarian sandwiches take a bigger share in coffee shops.

Kim Heath, AHDB senior retail insight manager, added: “Within meat-free, coffee shops and cafes have gained at the lunch occasion. However, people are still more likely to consume MFP for their main meal, which is typically a more expensive, bigger occasion.

“For MFP to maintain its importance in the out-of-home market, opportunities lie in further menu innovation,” she concluded.

The post Meat alternatives are no real threat to livestock farmers, research shows appeared first on Farmers Guide.

According to data form the World Health Organisation (WHO), food poisoning results in an estimated 600m people falling ill every year, leading to 420,000 deaths. Hoping to resolve this issue, a round-table discussion took place at the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Meeting in 2019.

This has led to the release of the document ‘Developing and sustaining a mature food safety culture’ (PAS 320), which is designed to guide organisations across the food & drink and retail sectors to create a culture where all employees embrace food safety and are empowered to initiate change.

A food safety culture that prioritizes people and supports collaboration in manufacturing facilities, food service businesses, restaurants and retail stores can help improve product quality, mitigate the risks of contamination or recalls, and also benefit productivity and talent retention.

Developed in collaboration with industry giants including Walmart, McDonald’s, PepsiCo, HelloFresh, Kerry Foods and 3M, the new guidance published by BSI last week revealed that human error rather than failures of machinery or technology is the common factor in food safety incidents, quality failures and recalls. Equally, when issues occur, people are the key to avoiding recurrence.

The guidance is based on extensive sector discussions on food safety culture, including what it is, how to measure it and how to ensure continuous improvements. The document defines the term as the ‘shared values, beliefs and norms that affect mindset and behaviour toward food safety in, across and throughout an organization’.

Moreover, it states that creating and maintaining a strong culture that preserves quality and reduces risk requires management commitment and a mindset that safety is the responsibility of everyone at every stage of the food supply chain. Culture is also highlighted as key for employee retention, improving quality and lowering contamination risk by decreasing turnover rate.

The document also includes a step-by-step guide on identifying gaps and implementing a strategy for change. It makes recommendations related to:

• Leadership
• The organization’s vision, mission, values and policy
• Organisational structure
• Responsibilities
• Accountabilities and authorities
• Guiding coalition team
• Interested parties
• Change champions
• Influencers
• Food safety documentation

The guidance also includes advice on how prioritizing people in the sector not only supports improved food safety, but also brings other benefits including investment return, business performance improvement, reduction of the costs associated with poor quality, and enhanced efficiency.

Neil Coole, director of Food and Retail Supply Chains at BSI, commented: “A positive food safety culture that prioritizes people and gives everyone a stake in driving quality can have a transformative effect and help reduce the risk that comes from unsafe food.

“This starts with leadership taking steps to turn ambition into action in order to build and sustain continuous improvements across their organization and the wider supply chain.

“Ultimately, moving from seeing food safety culture as a compliance issue to an investment in people can offer huge benefits for individuals, organizations and society as a whole.”

Scott Steedman, general director of Standards at BSI, added: “It is tragic that so many lives are lost globally every year to contaminated food. This is something nobody in the industry can ignore and urgent steps to change this are required.

“Enabling a robust food safety culture is vital for enhancing quality and safety across the food sector. Strengthening understanding of what best practice looks like and how everyone in the food sector can play a role, by enhancing global consistency and offering clarity, can help food sector organizations accelerate change and support the realization of quality and food safety ambitions.

“This new standard on food safety culture can build confidence in the global food industry and offer long-term benefit for everyone,” he concluded.

The post New global guidance from BSI promotes positive food safety culture appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Stock photo for illustration purposes only.

The organized crime conducted at the medium-sized processor, which cannot be named for legal reasons, was reportedly happening until at least the end of 2020. Former employees have also accused the plant of regularly ‘washing’ hams that are visibly off, or mixing rotting pork with fresh product for further processing.

The meat produced by the company then went on to be sold on the shelves of major retailers like Tesco, Asda, Co-op, Morrisons and Marks & Spencer in products such as ready meals, quiches, sandwiches and other food items.

Other customers include food manufacturer and distributor Oscar Mayer, which supplies Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Ikea, Subway and airline food producer Dnata, and major brands Princes and BidFood, a media outlet said.

Evidence has also been reported that Danish pork was delivered to the factory, which is otherwise only allowed to be sold on mainland China. A former employee told investigators that EU bacon medallions were being bought at £1/kg and sold on as British for about £12/kg.

According to the National Pig Association (NPA), the company under investigation is understood not be a primary processor with direct links to UK pork producers.

The FSA and the NFCU are reported to have been aware of the activities taking place at the processor since 2020. Upon suspicion of food fraud in September 2021, the initial retailer was notified at the same time that the NFCU first acted against the food business involved in the scandal.

Later, in December 2021, the FSA issued a warning for the industry to be aware of premium status products, including country of origin claims, to enable them to apply extra due diligence in their checks.

Darren Davies, head of the NFCU, said: “The FSA advised retailers last year [2021] to check their cooked meat supply chain and to apply extra due diligence in their checks. We don’t give out these alerts without a reason.”

“Nobody should be complacent”

Working with partner organisations, the FSA, being a national regulator and the last line of defence against food fraud, made an unannounced visit on 22^nd March 2023 to the premises linked to the live criminal investigation into alleged food fraud. Three people were arrested as a result and have now been released under investigation.

Emily Miles, chief executive of the FSA, commented: “We are continuing our criminal investigation into how a meat supplier allegedly provided products labelled as British when they were in fact sourced from other countries.

“This is a live investigation which means we are looking into all new lines of inquiry with the relevant local authorities, including investigating potential food hygiene breaches. This is alongside the work we are doing to investigate food fraud.”

Ms Miles added the investigation to date gave no indication that food is unsafe or there is an increased risk to consumers.

“Criminal investigations take time and need to be done with due process and fairness. The FSA will work tirelessly on behalf of consumers to ensure that this criminal investigation is done to the highest possible standards.

“I do want to emphasise at a time when cost pressures and other challenges mean the risks of food fraud might be increasing, it is vital everyone involved in the food chain works to ensure that food is safe and what it says it is,” she stressed.

The organisation declined to give any further details over concerns this could impact the criminal investigation or any future proceedings.

Responding to the news, Nick Allen, CEO of the BMPA, urged all supply chain players to maintain vigilance and take prompt action when food fraud is suspected to uphold the reputation of British meat.

“The industry has come a long way since Horsegate 10 years ago, but this latest issue highlights the fact that nobody should be complacent,” he said.

“Criminal activity will always find new ways to beat the system. This issue also highlights the need for the NFCU and industry to work more closely together and share intelligence with a greater emphasis on prevention rather than prosecution.

“There also needs to be greater use of technology and data to provide checks and balances. It is in no one’s interest that we have stories like this hitting the headlines and it undermines all the good and responsible work that has gone on and continues to go on in the industry,” Mr Allen concluded.

NPA calls for robust action on behalf of producers

NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson said the revelations brought to light by Farmers Weekly were shocking and called for the authorities to do everything in their power to make sure businesses breaking the law in this way are held accountable.

“NPA is disgusted that such criminal behaviour still allegedly persists within the meat processing supply chain, despite it being previously brought to the attention of the competent authorities,” she said.

“This report suggests that this business has been able to profiteer from illegally labelled pork whilst British pig producers have been haemorrhaging money for over two years. We hope a full and thorough investigation is conducted to ensure such practice is identified and those responsible held to account.”

Ms Wilson pointed out that British pork has some of the highest welfare standards in the world and producers work relentlessly to meet the requirements of Red Tractor, RSPCA Farm Assured and other assurance schemes.

“To see this wilfully undermined by manufacturers passing cheap imported pork off as British is a massive kick in the teeth for a sector that has been through so much in the past years. There will be some very angry pork producers out there,” she noted.

The chief executive also remarked how people are rightfully concerned about the transparency of the supply chain and how widespread this practice is among food processors.

“We will all need further reassurances that our supply chain is acting honourably and that the checks and systems in place in the UK are sufficient to detect fraud, particularly since our departure from the EU,” Ms Wilson stressed.

The post Thousands of tons of imported pork sold as British in latest food fraud scandal appeared first on Farmers Guide.

The drinks will be removed from supermarket shelves beginning April 2023, allowing the company to focus on its best-selling fruit and veg juices and smoothies. In the style of its usual witty humour, innocent wrote on social media:

‘In some nutterly disappointing news, we’re sad to say that our dairy-free range will be leaving shelves in the next few weeks. Which means this is your last call to go on stock up on our hazelnut, almond, and coconut dairy alternatives.

‘We know some of you really love these drinks, so we wanted to take this time to thank you for buying them. We really appreciate all five of you.’

Innocent Drinks first entered the dairy-free alternatives market in 2018 with the launch of its three vegan smoothie products. The drinks are made with the same base ingredients – spring water and sea salt – which are then blended with alternative milk derived from the nut or grain corresponding to the product’s name.

Responding to customers who are sad to see the products go, an innocent spokesperson wrote: ‘We’re sorry to say that just like Shakira’s hips, our sales figures don’t lie. We ask for your compassion at this time of mourning.’

Suggesting the company could give the drinks another try, a Twitter user wrote: ‘Always liked the coconut one. Sad they are leaving. Never know you might do a Neighbours and return them?’

Innocent wrote in response: ‘We are open to large sums of money from streaming giants to keep them alive.’

Other users said they weren’t aware the products existed or have never seen them on supermarket shelves. Nicola Foxfield wrote:

‘Literally the first time I’ve seen/heard of them. Not promoted enough by retailers, perhaps? Either way, I’m sad that the first I hear about them is their withdrawal,’ to which innocent responded with ‘[falls to the ground in sadness]’.

Although innocent’s dairy-free smoothie range failed to rack up sufficient interest, the company will continue to look at using dairy alternatives in its products. An innocent spokesperson said:

‘Whilst we know that some of our drinkers are sad to see the dairy alternatives range go, we are constantly creating new drinks for people to enjoy and we will continue to explore the use of dairy alternative ingredients as part of this.

‘In fact, we are already working on some tasty new recipes which include dairy alternative ingredients as part of our product innovation.’

The post Innocent Drinks cancels dairy-free smoothie range over disappointing sales appeared first on Farmers Guide.

On the farm shop’s website, the celebrity farmer explains the spirit is distilled from whey, the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained, also used in protein drinks. With the milk supplied by the farm’s own cow residents, the product is ‘the greenest of all green mile vodka out there’.

Boasting an ABV of 40%, Diddly Squat cow juice vodka is currently priced at £39 a bottle and can be enjoyed ‘chilled, straight up, over ice, or in a cocktail’.

Other than the Diddly Squat farm shop and online store, Jeremy’s brand new vodka line is stocked exclusively at Plonkers Wine Bar in York, who have invited customers to give it a try on Instagram:

Speaking to Farmers Guide, Plonkers manager Jo Ayrton explained how the wine bar came to stock Diddly Squat vodka, which was a simple case of “if you don’t ask you don’t get”.

“Our business owner had watched series two during half term whilst he was away with his family. It was obvious from both series that Jeremy, Lisa and the team cared a lot about supporting independent businesses in the farming sector and locally in Oxfordshire. As a family-owned independent business in York that shares many of the same values around supporting smaller business in the UK we wondered if there might be some way to get involved.

“Times are really tough in the hospitality trade, just like with farming. The chains are really driving the independents out of business – and although we’re a well-established business with a solid customer base, we’re also not immune to the impacts of the economic climate in the UK.

“We reached out to Diddly Squat Farm Shop during half term holidays at the end of February, and after a little backwards and forwards the team at Diddly Squat, led by the super helpful Lucca Allen working with Lisa, got our first product delivered to us on the 16th of March. We’re honoured to be the first bar in the UK to stock the vodka from a trade perspective.”

Commenting on how Diddly Squat cow juice vodka compares to other products on the market, the manager said: “The Cow Juice Vodka is actually pretty outstanding – its smooth and clean, and clearly is a premium product. Obviously, a great deal of thought and attention has gone into the vodka and it’s packaging.

“Our customer base here at Plonkers has really taken to it, and I’m expecting to have to re-order quite quickly! We’re really looking forward to working with the team at Diddly Squat in the coming weeks and months and working out how we can do more together to promote both our businesses, and the independent sector more generally.”

In related news, Jeremy has also been dipping his toes into the alcohol-free drinks market, giving hints of a new product line that will bear the name ‘Diddly Fresh containing diddly squat alcohol’.

According to media reports, the TV presenter has applied to the Intellectual Property Office to have the drinks sold at his farm shop trademarked. His application has been published by lawyers and it will remain law for 10 years if it is passed in the coming weeks.

Drinks currently sold by Jeremy’s farm shop include Diddly Squat Farm Gin in a Tin and Diddly Squat Whisky, which is a blend of the farm’s own bee juice and fine Scottish Whisky.

The post “Udderly brilliant” cow juice vodka launched by Clarkson’s farm shop appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Courtesy of the Hog & Hen

After pictures of empty supermarket shelves began circulating on social media last month, farm shops in Suffolk and Essex are reporting an increase in customers looking to buy fresh fruit and vegetables.

Many farm shops have taken to social media to share photos of their shelves fully stocked with fresh produce, as shortages and rationing in major supermarkets are predicted to last until late March.

However, farmers and growers are warning that we could soon see shortages of British produce, as soaring costs have forced many to reduce or even cease production.

Courtesy of Roselea Nursery, Trimley St Martin, Suffolk

Roselea Nursery Farm Shop in Trimley St Martin, Suffolk stocks a variety of fresh produce grown on the three-acre farm or sourced locally. Steven Medley told Farmers Guide:

“We’ve definitely seen an increase in trade [since the supermarket shortages]. People have been coming in for the items they can’t get in the supermarket, such as cauliflowers, cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers.”

Amy Rowe at Hog & Hen Farm Shop & Café in Stonham Aspal, Suffolk, agreed: “We definitely have noticed an increase in the shop, with new customers doing food shops and regular customers now doing bigger shops. We’ve been surprised at how many people have been willing to pay a higher price for goods such as tomatoes and red peppers, rather than go without.”

Similarly, Matthew Barrie of Hall Farm Shop & Restaurant in Colchester, said there has been a noticeable increase in customers since the supermarket shortages. During the egg shortages of a few months ago, there was also an upswing in people coming to the shop specifically looking for eggs.

“Government must support growers”

Roselea Nursery has seen “tremendous” increases in running costs over the past year, with fertiliser doubling and tractor diesel nearly trebling, as well as a rise in electricity and wages, but the price they get for produce has remained largely the same. As a result, the three owners of the business have not taken a pay increase since 2015.

As well as the rising cost of packaging, fertiliser and chemicals, Hog & Hen has struggled with dramatic increases in feed costs for their poultry and the compulsory housing of birds in England due to avian flu has meant they can no longer label their eggs free range.

Matthew, of Hall Farm Shop added: “The production and even the storage of food uses a lot of energy – in winter our fridges aren’t working as hard but we’re having to heat a restaurant and shop. In summer we won’t have to heat the buildings, but the fridges will be working very hard. We’re not a huge venue but we’ve got five walk-in fridges, half a dozen display fridges and chest freezers so it’s really energy heavy.” The business’s energy bill has increased by 134% in the past 12 months.

Supermarkets failing to pay producers a fair price is a core part of the problem, local farmers say.

Courtesy of Hall Farm, Colchester, Essex

Steven explained: “We can produce all this food in this country – if people want tomatoes and cucumbers at this time of year, they can be produced in glasshouses, but the supermarkets have got to be prepared to pay the price for English produce […] as it’s a major expense to heat the glasshouses. […]

“Supermarkets have for too long drummed into peoples’ heads that food is a cheap commodity, and it isn’t. The Government has either got to do something to support growers or supermarkets have got to be prepared to pay growers a fair price.”

Matthew, Hall Farm, speaks regularly to the shop and restaurant’s vegetable supplier, who says the open market has been flooded by supermarkets. Producers are calling for a higher price as production costs rise but are often forced to produce at a loss if they’re on a rolling contract, or they can end up in a stalemate with supermarkets. He added: “Using independent shops for fruit, veg and meat means that the entire chain gets a fair price.”

The Hog & Hen team said: “Due to suppliers not being paid fairly, the supermarkets are able to buy fresh produce at very low prices all year round. This has a big effect on small businesses like us, who pay fair prices directly to our producers. Therefore, the rates are slightly higher and once the produce is on our shelves it is priced with a noticeable difference compared to those in the supermarkets.

“More issues come from the increasing costs of production, along with the cost of living, meaning it’s hard to push prices up in retail.”

The post Farm shops enjoy rise in popularity as supermarket shortages continue appeared first on Farmers Guide.

According to the study, three out of four UK consumers (75%) believe food companies should work to reduce emissions in their food production.

Yara has announced the findings from a new survey it commissioned on sustainable food. The report, conducted by leading international market research company IPSOS, provides an overview of consumer purchasing habits and sustainable food preferences.

Jari Pentinmäki

“The report shows that UK consumers are highly motivated to buy sustainable food to reduce their climate impact. This should be a wake-up call to the entire food industry,” says Jari Pentinmäki, managing director, Yara UK and Ireland.

“While more than half of consumers in the UK find the climate impact important when buying food, a majority feel it is not easy enough to understand available information about the climate emission to be able to make sustainable choices. Around three out of four consumers would prefer to be able to read the carbon footprint on the food label,” Pentinmäki says.

The world’s food production accounts for more than a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. This new report shows that 53% of people in the UK consider the climate impact important when buying food and beverages. In addition, 38% of UK consumers are willing to pay more for  food items produced without fossil sources.

“Decarbonisation of food is possible and that is why we are developing green fertilizers made from water and air using renewable energy, to support farmers and food companies in reducing the climate impact of their food. These voluntary choices must be supported by adequate policies. The EU’s Sustainable Food System initiative, planned for the end of 2023, should therefore create a set of incentives to go beyond the minimum requirements and favour low-carbon footprint solutions such as green fertilizers,” says Pentinmäki.

In Porsgrunn, Norway, Yara is building the first production plant to run on renewable energy. From there, Yara will produce green fertilizers made without the use of fossil energy or fossil sources. This will result in crops with an up to 30% lower carbon footprint and as much as a 20% carbon footprint reduction in the food produced, making them a powerful solution to creating a decarbonised and fossil free food future. The first green fertilizers are planned to enter production in the second half of 2023.

Key findings in this survey

• 53% of people in the UK consider the climate impact important when buying food and beverage items.
• 57% said they would choose a climate friendlier food item versus a cheaper option.
• 38% of UK consumers say they are willing to pay more for food made without fossil fuel sources.
• 25% of people in the UK already make sustainable choices when it comes to their buying habits.
• Around three out of four (72%) people in the UK want to see the carbon footprint of food items on the label.
• Three out of four UK consumers (75%) believe food companies should work to reduce emissions in their food production.

The post Do you consider the climate impact when food shopping? appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Amid the extreme inflation of input costs, a large surplus of lamb on British farms, and meat prices being down by 13% compared to the same week last year, now is the time to champion British produce, said National Sheep Association (NSA) chief executive Phil Stocker.

“NSA was disappointed to hear the announcement by Aldi that it is dropping support for British-produced lamb and beef, following hot on the heels of the irresponsible suggestion by John Allan, Tesco Chair, that food producers are taking advantage of the poor in society by pushing up food costs.

“This air of negativity is not good for any part of the supply chain and reflects particularly poorly on retailers.”

Other than Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda are also known for stocking fresh and/or frozen meat from outside the UK, while Waitrose, Morrisons and the Co-op are continuing to stand by their pledge to back British farming.

Mr Stocker stressed that producers at the beginning of the supply chain need support from everyone involved as red meat is costing more than ever to produce, and retailers have a key role to play.

“We also need a showcase on every supermarket shelf for lamb and other products produced in the UK. To see one retailer imply that costs have been artificially inflated, and another remove its support for UK-produced product at this volatile time is extremely concerning.”

Due to the large carryover of livestock into 2023, there is ample supply of lamb at the present time, and lamb production is expected to be 8-9% higher this year according to the AHDB.

With British lamb being one of the most sustainable products in the world with some of the highest welfare standards, Mr Stocker is disappointed to see the “blatant disregard some large retailers have for British produce”.

“The agricultural industry is combating a period of extreme and unprecedented volatility within the marketplace, supply chains and input costs. Now is the time to champion British – and NSA applauds the retailers that are stepping up and doing the right thing,” he remarked.

Echoing his words, NFU president minette Batters also applauded the credentials of British lamb and criticised Aldi for filling shelves with high-carbon footprint goods.

“Aldi has prided itself on 100% British sourcing on fresh meat, so British sheep farmers, and many shoppers who want to buy locally produced lamb, will be dismayed to see them backtrack on their long-term commitments on lamb sourcing.

“It is especially disappointing that home-grown, climate-friendly lamb will be replaced by products with significant food miles.”

Moreover, Ms Batters also pointed out the situation puts farmers in a difficult position.

“Lamb production isn’t a tap that can just be turned off and this is coming at a time when the sector is already under huge pressure with inflationary costs and policy uncertainty.”

“Aldi UK – there is no need to import New Zealand lamb!”

Sheep farmer Clare Wimmers of Little Walterstone Farm in Gower, Swansea, was extremely distressed to find out about Aldi’s decision to stock New Zealand lamb. She wrote on social media:

“Aldi UK decision to break its pledge to stock ONLY fresh British Lamb is extremely distressing news for British farmers. With the loss of EU grants spiralling prices of animal feed, production cost rising daily this decision couldn’t come at a worse time.

“According to Google, in 2021 the UK is made up of 216,000 farm holdings. We here at Little Walterstone Farm still have lambs left over from last year as we’ve been waiting for the price to rise before we give them away in the market. Say if each farm had only 10 of last years lambs left now this totals to 2,160,000. That’s before this season has even started….”

She went on to condemn Aldi’s move to bring in New Zealand lamb and called on shoppers to start eating food produced in Britain rather than “inferior imports”.

Commenting on the news, Neil Darwent, founder of the small family farming network Produce & Provide, wrote on Twitter:

“Disappointed to see Aldi going back on their 100% British pledge on lamb and other meat sold in their stores.

“If you want to back British farmers buy direct from farms. Check out the Produce & Provide website map to find them.”

Yet others added to the noise by condemning retailers for relying on cheap import produce on social media. First generation tenant farmer Matthew Blair, farming beef and sheep at Thrimby, Cumbria, wrote on Twitter:

Another farmer, Mathew Robers from North Wales, praised retailers that are still backing British farmers amid the industry-wide crisis:

To quieten the waters, Aldi reiterated its support for British farming and said the majority of its lamb will continue to be sourced from British farms.

An Aldi spokesperson said: “Aldi is a major supporter of British farming and we have committed to invest an additional £3.5bn a year with British suppliers by the end of 2025. This move aims to support customers during the cost-of-living crisis by offering affordable and in-season lamb all year round.”

Aldi’s core range of fresh beef, pork, poultry, milk and eggs will continue to be sourced from British, Red Tractor or Lion Eggs approved farms, the retailer said. Lamb mince will also remain 100% British all year round, while core range leg steaks, half legs and lamb chops will include New Zealand bought lamb in season.

The retailer added that all New Zealand lamb products will be clearly labelled with the flag prominently displayed to communicate the country of origin to the customer.

The post Industry dismayed over Aldi’s decision to stock New Zealand lamb appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Led by journalist and television presenter Anita McNaught, the discussion has shed light on the impending need for change to the global food system and how food and farming are perceived in the public eye and government policy.

Handing over to Martin Lines, chair of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), Ms McNaught posed the “64-million-dollar question” of how farming and food businesses can best navigate the current unstable transition period.

Mr Lines, who is also an arable farmer in Cambridge, said the key to becoming a sustainable and profitable enterprise in the future is putting nature back into the heart of the business.

However, while many farmers across the UK are already adapting their business models and becoming more resilient, there is still a lack of clarity around future policies and how the supply chain and public will support farmers, he remarked.

Mr Lines also raised concerns over the mounting pressures on the industry to increase production and food security, which has been crippling businesses unable to keep up with the highly volatile market. He pointed out that less than 20% of the country’s productive land feeds people, and more than 60% of grains produced in the UK feeds livestock.

“We need to rethink our food system and actually put nature back into the heart of it and balance our production,” he stressed.

However, realizing that goal while remaining a profitable business in today’s climate is not without its challenges. Mr Lines suggested stacking enterprises, looking at different opportunities, and not focusing on single commodity outputs that leave little value on farms and represent a greater risk to businesses.

Moreover, farmers that have transitioned into regenerative agriculture will be able to weather the storm better, Mr Lines explained, as they are spending far less on artificial inputs.

In addition, he emphasized the need for succession and encouraging younger generations to get involved in the industry. He said farming should be marketed as a high-tech industry with plenty of career opportunities and a strong sense of community to attract new entrants.

Lastly, Mr Lines called out the lack of leadership and government action to put the necessary practices in place to help farmers balance their production and make the system work.

Echoing his words, Phil Haughton, founder of award-winning organic retailer Better Food, said “big-hitting national campaigns” are needed to initiate change in the food and farming system.

Mr Haughton described current market conditions as “extractive” and “domineering”, highlighting the difficulties of farmers having to accommodate constantly changing demands affected by global events such as the pandemic or the Ukraine conflict.

He said the ability to change one’s business model in a short span of time is key to surviving in the farming industry today, and stressed a revolution is urgently needed.

“Either things are going to get a lot worse, or we’re going to have a revolution to push ourselves over the edge,” Mr Haughton concluded.

“Community is the only reason our business survived”

Jade Bashford, programme manager at Real Farming Trust and co-founder of Stroud Brewery, walked delegates through how community support has enabled her business to ride out the storm.

Launched in 2006 with start-up capital borrowed from friends and neighbours, Stroud Brewery now turns over £2 million and employs 75 staff members. The business is split 50-50 between manufacturing for wholesale and operating a bar, café and community venue.

Ms Bashford revisited some of the challenges her business grappled with during the pandemic, which include:

• Sales and recruitment
• Rent and inequality crisis
• Over 300% increase in energy costs
• Brexit shutting down export routes
• Living wage and input costs inflation
• National insurance rise
• Less disposable income
• Pub closures
• Increased competition
• Reduced drinking

The challenges were further compounded by the fact that the brewery, like other UK businesses, must operate in a broken system resulting in NHS delays, postal and rail strikes, and other difficulties, she added.

To keep the business afloat, Ms Bashford and her husband looked at spreadsheets searching for ways to save money and explored diversification opportunities such as hosting events at the brewery.

However, the real difference was made by community input, as it happened countless times in the past, she explained. In 2010, the business borrowed £100,000 through local loans to match an EU grant and be able to expand. Whereas, in 2018, the brewery raised £300,000 through a Community Bond administered by Triodos Bank.

To reduce losses during the pandemic, Ms Bashford and her husband launched a Crowdfunder campaign that raised £114,000 with 1,000 supporters, which was essential to the survival of the business.

She said that while they’re indebted to the local community, the brewery has always been held up by the social fabric which it also helped create.

“Responsible indebtedness is what does build community, taking risks to share that trust and then living up to it and being transparent about what’s happening in the business,” Ms Bashford concluded.

Community support is also what enables a horticulture organic farm just south of Bristol to remain operational following a substantial drop in sales. Kim Brooks, managing director of The Community Farm, believes community farming is the only way to make the current food production system viable in the future.

The project was started 12 years ago for community benefit and has created a space for people to get involved in a different food and farming system. The business operates a veg box shed four hours a week and runs community farmer days every Saturday to welcome people of all ages and backgrounds onto the land.

Ms Brooks said the majority of society today is disconnected from food and farming and doesn’t know how their food is produced or where it comes from. However, initiatives like veg box schemes represent an entry for a lot of those people to reconnect with food production, she explained.

She added that the more society can recognise that it is part of nature and the more the public can put farmers first, the sooner we can bring our broken food system back into balance.

Like other farm businesses, The Community Farm has also experienced a dramatic decline in sales due to the cost-of-living crisis. However, clear communication with locals through campaigning has made a big difference to the viability of the business, Ms Brooks remarked.

“We went out to our community with honesty and transparency and told them if you don’t support us, we’re not going to be here in 6 months’ time,” she said.

Due to the foundations that have been laid down over the years, reminding the community of exactly what they can do to help has resulted in an increase in sales and ensured the longevity of the business, Ms Brooks added.

“Asking for help is a strength and not a weakness”

To remind farmers of the pastoral and practical support available to them, Mark Thomas, head of services at the Farming Community Network (FCN), talked about the work being carried out at the charity to help those who are struggling.

According to Mr Thomas, FCN’s approach is proactive and preventative and is built on the concept of farmers helping farmers. All of the charity’s volunteers have a background in farming and receive ongoing training to be able to provide the best possible support.

Organised into 30 groups, FCN volunteers serve local communities across 35 counties in England and Wales

Mr Thomas explained people contact the charity’s helpline for a variety of reasons, such as financial and family difficulties, physical and mental health challenges, issues around succession and planning for the future, and problems dealing with animal diseases such as TB or avian influenza.

“An important emphasis of FCN is to try and go upstream of those problems occurring and to be proactive in local farming communities to help build resilience, reduce health inequalities and help people manage through change,” Mr Thomas said.

“We encourage people to be lookouts in their communities and watch for early signs that their neighbour and colleague might be struggling and to enable earlier intervention before the problems snowball.”

In addition, the charity works with colleges to help prepare young people as they embark on their careers in agriculture.

“Our industry is at the heart of some really important, critical societal issues; food security, renewable energy, biodiversity, climate change mitigation, leisure, well-being, and it offers fulfilling and exciting career opportunities. And I think it’s important to remind young people of that opportunity,” he added.

Mr Thomas believes that, although the next few years will see a progressive reduction in financial government support for farming businesses, the agricultural transition will also bring opportunities for many and FCN is here to help farmers adapt to change.

Rounding up his talk, Mr Thomas commented: “My message is that embrace the change, seize the opportunities, look after yourself and those around you, and remember that asking for help is a strength and not a weakness as we’re often led to believe.”

The FCN helpline 03000 111 999 can be contacted seven days a week between 7am and 11pm.

Continuing along the same lines, Carol Whaley, director of services at RABI, said there’s now more demand than support organisations can fulfill.

To support her claim, she shared the results of the Big Farming Survey launched in 2020 that inquired about the health and well-being of farmers and how they are coping with challenges. The survey had 15,000 respondents form England and Wales and the results were reviewed by the University of Exeter.

According to the survey, over a third of people in farming (36%) are possibly or probably depressed. Moreover, only 8% of women and 12% of men said they have good mental well-being, and 47% of all respondents are consistently struggling with anxiety.

These concerning results indicate that the general mental well-being in the farming population is worse than in the general UK population, Ms Whaley said.

To help offset the impact industry pressures are having on the mental health of farmers, RABI launched three new services in 2021/22:

• Professional in-person counselling – no GP referral needed
• Click & chat well-being and professional counselling platform – for those unwilling to accept face-to-face support
• Certified mental health first aid (MHFA) training – to help the community support itself

In summary, Ms Whaley emphasized the need to normalise the conversation about mental health and signposting those in need to organisations offering help.

Looking at the bigger picture

Concluding the session, Ms McNaught asked the panel to share their best solutions to the current situation.

Mr Lines from the NFFN called for better health education, saying young people need to reconnect to how we grow, prepare and cook food;

Ms Bashford said the government must put the solution in the hands of the people who are affected by it;

Ms Whaley said good mental health is correlated with positive business, and supporting physical and mental health in farming communities will drive us towards the resolution of the crisis;

Ms Brooks believes community-supported agriculture projects are part of the solution and making sure everyone can take part;

Mr Thomas stressed the need for a significant uplift in engagement and communication about what options people will have after BPS is phased out;

And finally, Mr Haughton suggested the industry needs to adapt and welcome the views of young people.

The post Weathering the economic storm: Perceptions on future-proofing farm businesses appeared first on Farmers Guide.

At a time when people are choosing healthier meals partly due to the cost-of-living crisis, the AHDB is working to remind consumers that pork can form part of a healthy, balanced diet, as it is a source of nine vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12.

The Mix up Midweek with Pork campaign aims to ensure that pig meat will continue to be of interest to Britain’s shoppers via a 30-second TV advert, on-pack stickers, online banners, and aisle fins.

To maximise the reach of the campaign, AHDB has partnered with eight supermarket chains (Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Co-op, Tesco, Asda, Aldi, Morrisons and Lidl), as well as online shopping sites and social media pages.

Carrie McDermid, AHDB’s head of marketing, commented: “Marketing is one of AHDB Pork’s top priorities for the next five years and beyond, and we are committed to delivering award-winning consumer marketing campaigns that will drive positive attitudes to pork consumption in and out of the home.

“Evaluation of last year’s pork campaign showed that 92% of consumers agreed the TV advert communicated pork medallions as a healthy mealtime choice, and 70% of consumers said they were more likely to eat pork medallions after seeing the campaign.”

The campaign will continue to run alongside AHDB’s We Eat Balanced marketing programme that is currently promoting the sustainable attributes and health benefits of red meat and dairy on TV and social media until 4 February 2023.

Among the centre themes of the Mix up Midweek with Pork campaign are affordable meal choices using leaner cuts of pork such as medallions, loins, mince, and fillet. A range of delicious, healthy, easy-to-cook, and quick recipes have been developed specifically for this campaign, many of which come in at under £1.50 per head.

These recipes and other resources are available on the website lovepork.co.uk, and healthy pork recipe cards and a poster will be mailed to farm shops and butchers.

Another focus of the campaign is to extend the target audience to individuals aged 18–25 years old, also known as Gen Z, who are less likely to buy pork than the core target audience. AHDB has partnered with key influencers of this age group to create educational content showcasing the nutritional benefits of pork across various social media channels.

Ms McDermid added: “We are working with MOB kitchen, the leading food media platform for Gen Z, to inspire young people to cook healthy and delicious pork meals and highlight the nutritional benefits of eating pork, such as vitamin B12.

“Two popular influencers on TikTok will also feature a fun, attention-grabbing video to encourage the Gen Z audience to think of pork as a healthy source of protein and a nutrient-packed alternative to chicken. This content will be promoted on Instagram.”

To learn more about the Mix up Midweek with Pork campaign, listen to the latest episode of AHDB’s Food and Farming podcast or follow AHDB Pork on Twitter and Facebook.

The post Pork to be marketed as a healthy meal choice in new AHDB campaign appeared first on Farmers Guide.