Document

The Tenant Farmers Association has welcomed the Government's announcement that it is to create a retail, food industry ombudsman but has criticised the length of time it has taken to reach the decision.

Speaking to TFA members at this year’s Lincolnshire Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Association Show (LAMMA) at the Newark & Notts showground TFA National Chairman Greg Bliss said “Whilst we very much welcome the fact that the penny has eventually dropped in Government, this is a decision that should have been made at least a decade ago. I shudder to think of the number of good farm businesses we have lost over that 10-year period as a result of unfair competition and the many more farm businesses which although still functioning, have struggled to make a profit and reinvest in their businesses".

"Throughout the past decade, and as a result of the experiences of our members, the TFA has called consistently for the creation of a food industry regulator to oversee a statutory code of practice. We have been clear that the voluntary code, supported until recently by some farming organisations, was not sufficient to deal with the size of the problem. Whilst the Government has prevaricated over the past 10 years on this issue we have seen the strength and profitability of the food retailers grow substantially. That growth has been at the expense of primary producers and, in the long term, UK consumers," said Mr Bliss.

"All recent research carried out into the demands and wants of British consumers indicate that they are looking for high quality, fresh, seasonal food with local provenance. With an increasing number of farm businesses unable to survive at the levels of farm gate prices being offered to them, British consumers are becoming increasingly forced to accept lower quality alternatives which have travelled many miles over the globe,” said Mr Bliss.

"Although it is clear that farm gate prices need to improve we do not believe that this needs to be at the expense of consumer prices. Retail margins have burgeoned over recent years as has levels of food waste by supermarkets. There is sufficient in the current system for farmers to be more fairly rewarded without consumers having to pay substantially more," said Mr Bliss.

“In the wider debate on food security it is important to see the introduction of the retail ombudsman as only part of a much bigger jigsaw. There is no silver bullet but there is much more that the Government needs to address. The rhetoric of the Government’s “Food 2030” strategy is fine but until we see some action we will not be applauding the Emperor’s new clothes,” said Mr Bliss.

LAMMA takes place on Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 January 2010 at the Newark and Notts Showground, Winthorpe, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 2NY. The TFA stand is number 806 in Hall 8. Greg Bliss will also be joined by the TFA’s National Vice-Chairman Stephen Wyrill and TFA National Adviser Rebecca Marshall

For further information contact Greg Bliss on 07850 716042, TFA Chief Executive George Dunn on 07721 998961 or the TFA’s Communications and Events Co-ordinator, Jenna Kirkpatrick on 0118 930 6130 or 07887 777157.

Supermarket Ombudsman – Better Late Than Never!