Prince Charles invites heads of Supermarkets to Highgrove to Discuss Farm Prices and Promotion of Local Farm Products 15/11/02

As reported by Robert Uhlig, Farming Correspondent of the Telegraph (1), among those invited were the heads of Tesco, Sainsburys and Asda and senior executives from Marks & Spencer and from Dalepak (a meat processing firm). Prince Charles shares the concerns of many over the poor prices paid to farmers by supermarkets who are reporting ever-increasing profits. The Prince is also rightly concerned that supermarkets were not making enough effort to support local farm produce.

A new code of conduct was supposed to prevent supermarkets using their domination of grocery retailing from driving down prices. This has not been effective and farmers are often forced to sell their produce often for less that the cost of production.

Reference to the Agricultural and Horticultural Census (2) reveals that 15,000 farming jobs were lost in England in the year to June 2002. Figures for Scotland and for Wales have yet to be published. According to the census 8,600 farmers abandoned farming and another 6,600 farm workers lost their jobs.

This website (3) raised this matter when commenting on the LEAF conference held at Battleby, Perthshire (29/09/02) at which supermarket executive Gavin Bailey gave a paper.

“Gavin Bailey of Safeways tried to present the caring and ethical face of supermarkets. He did not appear to have an answer as to the ethics of why they do not insist that their suppliers pay the primary producer something more (rather than less) than the cost of production. Supermarkets insist on all sorts of standards of animal welfare and how tractors are maintained etc, but apparently not for ensuring that the primary producer can earn a living wage. All sorts of political correctness and other bureaucratic nonsense always seems to get in the way and is beyond their talents to tackle”.

It is hoped that the same point was put to the collective big guns of supermarkets by Prince Charles. Prince Charles' interest and support for farmers is very much appreciated.

References

1. Uhlig, R (2002). Prince's farm price talks. telegraph.co.uk, 16 November 2002. (Visit website).

2. Agricultural and Horticultural Census. 5 JUNE 2002. England. (Download PDF).

3. Prof Trewavas and other speakers at LEAF Conference 26 September, Battleby, Perthshire. Land-Care. (View Article).

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18 November 2002

Prince Charles invites heads of Supermarkets to Highgrove to Discuss Farm Prices and Promotion of Local Farm Products 15/11/02

References