Profitable and environmentally sustainable food chain is needed says NFU President

This is what NFU President Peter Kendall is expected to tell the UK’s leading food and grocery companies tomorrow.

The Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) will meet for the Sustainable Food Industry Summit on Wednesday November 1 when Mr Kendall will:

• Champion farmers as managers of the countryside
• Highlight their role as quality food producers
• Explain what farmers can offer as providers of renewable energy

In his speech he is expected to say: “British food production and animal welfare standards are amongst the highest in the world, but farmers are not getting the recognition they deserve. Current short-termism, particularly on price, is unsustainable – integrated and transparent supply chains need to be built.

“It must be recognised farmers are also managing the countryside on a scale unimaginable by any single conservation agency or government department. Farming is not at odds with good countryside management. It is at the heart of it.”

As the Stern report demonstrates, the environment is becoming a key focus of government policy. Mr Kendall is expected to tell the summit: “The threat of an increasingly volatile climate means a strong, secure and traceable supply of food domestically is more important than ever. There are already good examples of high quality local supply chains but they need to become part of the mainstream.

“Our food, our landscape and our environment are inextricably linked and I call for a profitable, integrated, transparent and sustainable food chain to develop, manage and protect them.”

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