That the commission did not tackle the fundamental weaknesses of UK
agriculture is of little suprise in a sectional industry where neighbours
are competitors and not collaborators. Here is what they could have
said:
"Agriculture in the UK has been in relative decline over much of
the last two centuries. The industry is fragmented and lacks scale in
the procurement of inputs and the marketing of output. Farmers and their
trade organisations continue to compete amongst each other and rarely
collaborate to secure new markets having failed to understand that competition
and prices are driven by world markets and not by intra UK trade.
The industry has failed to create an effective public relations campaign
to explain what is going on and why which has encouraged hostility in
the media and indifference amongst the public. Attempts by individual
farmers to bridge the information gap will be locally helpful, but inadequate
for the industry as a whole.
The solution for agriculture in the UK does not (contrary to popular
thinking) lie in a cottage industry of niche products - rather it will
be found from scale in the market place. Complete restructuring is essential.
The representative, trading and co-operative organisations that stand
for farmers must merge into a single co-operative organisation that
will champion agriculture in the UK and celebrate the diversity of its
production systems.
The organisation will manage the PR message explaining farming processes
and illustrating the public goods produced by farmers and land managers.
It will advance understanding about the role of agriculture in a generic
way.
The organisation will take on the procurement of the industry's input
needs. With its members representing most of the market, the organisation
will be able to secure favourable prices from manufacturers thereby
providing competitive advantage in a tough economic environment.
The organisation will be responsible for the marketing of its members'
produce (90% of local supply) and will have sufficient domestic presence
to secure fair terms from the oligopolies that exist further up the
food chain. Where excess profits exist higher in the food chain, the
organisation will vertically integrate to access this profitability
for its members.
All
produce marketed by the organisation will bear a single marque detailing
UK provenance and its assured quality. The marque will be supported
by a national advertising campaign that details the quality, environmental
and welfare benefits of Assured British Produce.
To
recognise produce of genuinely local origin, an additional marque will
be displayed. This will only apply to produce that has 60% of its constituents
sourced from within 15 miles of the point of sale. As a concept it will
be unique in that it will provide purchase information that is relative
to the consumer's own location. As the produce is both assured and local,
the marque will represent a gold standard to consumers in their buying
process.
The organisation will press the Government to observe its environmental
obligations by lowering the tax on energy crops so that these can provide
environmental gain for society by fuelling the car. A modern agriculture
needs to supply a diversified mix of food, energy and public goods.
The organisation will drive the environmental agenda forward with a
proactive "action for enhanced environmental gain" that provides
demonstrably superior stewardship and husbandry to produce of external
and imported origin.
We recognise that our vision for the future of farming and food in the
UK will challenge the industry's participants. Forming a co-operative
organisation to represent and operate for the industry as a whole will
not be easy where vested interest is centuries old. However, if agriculture
is to remain viable as an industry it will need to find scale in the
market place. Collective co-operation is the only way forward".
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