What you can do…
…as the producer
Diversification, both within food production and into areas outside it, is a common among producers who would otherwise struggle to survive. Felthorpe farmer Oliver Arnold and his wife have followed this route: “As a young couple we’ve seen the need to diversify into other aspects of farming to keep ourselves in business. We realise we’ve got to change to carry on farming.”
Oliver and his wife have come up with the novel Maize maze at Spring Farm. The tractor shape looks splendid from the sky and is great fun for the kids.
But Mr Saltmarsh throws caution to the wind. “Diversification is often essential if farming is to remain economi-cally viable. But I think what we shouldn’t lose sight of is that farming is essentially about food production, and diversification shouldn’t become an overriding motivation that makes us lose sight of the importance of producing food. If we’re going to have food security then we need to make sure that the majority of our food is produced locally, or at least within the country, so we can have a food supply we can rely on,” said Mr Saltmarsh.
So from the point of view of UK food security, diversification within food production, rather than outside it, is the preferable option.
But for a number of local producers, diversification purely within food production is not currently a viable option. As Clem Tompsett, managing director of Tompsett Burgess Growers at Isleham near Ely, explained, more farmers need to get in teams to improve economic viability: "Farmers now have to work together more and utilise their equipment for economical purposes. Today you cannot afford to have any equipment standing still. Its' now all about team work."
Producers also need to think about growing seasonal produce and reducing their environmental impact. Partner-ships with more cooperative buyers, such as Waitrose, provide real scope for this. If you have such a buyer, check out the corporate social responsibility reports for ideas at the Waitrose website: www.waitrose.com.
…as the councillor
Green councillors in Norwich have been doing great things to press for real change locally. Norwich City green councillor Adrian Ramsay explains: “One thing we have been doing as green councillors in Norwich is urging the council to promote local food schemes like farmers’ markets and the Norwich Lanes Initiative, so that we’ve got local producers on the market in Norwich and other places. We need to be promoting local businesses that sell local products.”
Councils can redirect the flow of money in the high street, so it stays in the local economy.
…as the local food retailer or caterer
“The decision to buy food from abroad isn’t in the first instance taken by the consumer,” explains Nick Saltmarsh. “It’s taken by the retailer, the caterer and their suppliers, and that choice is then presented to the consumer. The consumer might not be aware of where it comes from.
“A key way to increase sustainability is for retailers and caterers to source more locally.” How can local retailers and caterers change to local sourcing?
East Anglia Food Link is laying the table for some caterers. “We’ve been working with seven of the ten local edu-cation authority caterers in the East if England. We’ve spoken first to the caterers to assess what their needs are, and then gone back to their suppliers and found possible alternative suppliers. We’ve found a route that runs all the way through from the farm to the LEA caterer.”
You can also try making local and seasonal produce more appealing to consumers to increase demand. You could actively promote seasonal produce by emphasising how much better it tastes when it’s in season, as well as its improved nutritional quality and lessened environmental impact.
For advice on finding alternative suppliers, contact East Anglia Food Link at info@eafl.org.uk, or on 01508 536666
…as the teacher
Baroness Sue Miller, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs in the Lords, said “consumers can make some more efforts to educate themselves, and I think schools play a huge role in this.” Teachers are pivotal in communicating important messages to their pupils. “The youngsters in the schools should be eating good food and knowing why it’s good food”, stated Professor O’Riordan.
Teachers can really make a difference, not just in the classroom, but also by getting pupils involved in practical and fun activities. “Locally, there are schools that have got involved in growing vegetables, and it’s extremely good education for younger people to see how to do that”, according to Adrian Ramsay. Why not get a group of teachers together to coordinate an allotment at your school?
…as the consumer
Baroness Sue Miller believes “The future of sustainable agriculture is ultimately in the hands of consumers because theirs is the choice of where to buy from.” By asserting your right to a decent, affordable choice of nutritious and local produce you can be the driving force of change.
Support independent stores, farm shops, farmers markets, box schemes, food co-ops and so on, to help them establish themselves as competitive players
You have the power to express your opinion by directing your money to the places that matter to you most. Supermarkets take their profits away from the area to line the pockets of distant investors. But money spent locally will stay in the community be fed back into the local economy. So your money won’t just benefit local business, but also education, transport, environment…the list goes on.
Lobby your MP
Ask your MP to press for more funding that supports local food production and clearer labelling. “People are inter-ested, but they’ve got no way of knowing at the moment what’s happening,” explains Baroness Sue Miller. “We need to enable the consumer to contribute by clearly labelling food as to where it’s come from.”
What would this labelling look like? Tim O’Riordan suggests having a logo on packaging showing “they don’t waste water, they don’t damage the soil, they are low or zero in pesticides, and they are coming from the local areas, so people can identify with the local community and with the landscape that they know and love.”
Speak to your food suppliers
“There’s a big shift in the retailing industry, but it needs constant consumer pressure,” says Tim O’Riordan. Nick Saltmarsh agrees: “Consumers need to express a preference. The more the consumers express a preference to the people they’re buying food from, to the institutions that feed them like schools, hospitals, restaurants and shops, the more that the people further down the supply chain will act to meet that demand.”
Try speaking to the manager of your local superstore, small retailer, restaurant, school or hospital to encourage them to find more local producers. You can also call the customer care lines of the supermarkets.