The future for farming – the Reconnection
Two generations ago, farming – producing food from crops and livestock, and including fruit and vegetable production – was well ‘connected’ to its customers – those who ate the food and drink that was produced in the same or nearby locality. Only exotic food came large distances.
Recently, food production has been going through a lean time. In the 1980s, feed wheat was around £100 per tonne. Now it is around £65 per tonne. Profits have declined as costs have increased to the point where many farmers are not making ends meet. One dairy farmer, who was technically good, with all the hours he had to work, calculated that his income was £1.73 per hour – well below the national minimum wage! Why should those producing our food earn so little whereas just one of the ‘big four’ supermarkets makes more profit than the whole of British agriculture? Most farmers and other food producers have been separated from their markets by few and powerful middlemen – the supermarkets.
Too much of our food which could be produced locally, has come from as far away as Argentina, Africa or Australia. With urbanisation, food does have to travel a certain distance, but this can be minimised.
smell of animal manure, or tractors using the roads often leads to unfavourable anti-farming reactions. The media is partially to blame, farming programmes used to feature on the television and radio regularly, less so now. However, more farmers are opening their farms to the public, which will help reconnect farmers and reduce misconceptions. LEAF can organise farm visits, for more information go to
www.leafuk.org or phone 024 7641 3911.
Elbert van Donkersgoed
Even some local produce travels miles from production to warehouse and back to the supermarket near where it was produced. Bottled water originating in Buxton, bought in a Buxton shop, travels to Hereford to be bottled and all the way back to Buxton, probably detouring to the centralised warehouse before returning to the local shop! Excessive food miles are now endemic in the food industry. Farmers markets, and supermarkets specifically stocking local produce, are the necessary way forward – and this will help reconnect production with consumption.
Farming is increasingly misunderstood. The sight of a sprayer working in a field, or the
More difficult still is that many farmers work in isolation, as it is not economic to employ staff. A generation ago, a 500 acre mixed farm may have employed at least three farm workers. Now the farm is likely to be run solely by the farmer. The opportunity to socialise is reduced and the hours worked have increased. For livestock farmers, the number of livestock auction marts has drastically decreased. These markets are not just for trading. They are the week’s social event – a high point in the farming week. Many farmers need to reconnect socially – a good antidote to isolation, which can so easily lead to depression and even suicide.
in association with the Arthur Rank Centre and Farm Crisis Network THE 2006 ACF CONFERENCE
The Arthur Rank Centre, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire Saturday 11 November 2006, 9.30am – 4.30pm
FAITH IN FARMING Making Connections
A Conference to which all interested in seeing food production and consumption ‘re-connected’ are invited
Keynote Speaker: Elbert van Donkersgoed, Ontario, Canada
plus contributors drawn from farmers, food producers, the media and others who are successfully challenging the current unsustainable situation.
Details and booking - please contact ACF on 01788 510866 or by email at
acf@fcn.org.uk
The Agricultural Christian Fellowship (ACF) Conference wants to explore what can be done to re-connect within farming. What inspiration does the Bible have for us in this context? What lessons can we draw from other countries? This year, we are privileged to host Elbert van Donkersgoed, who has led the Christian Farmers’ Federation of Ontario (CFFO) in Canada for many years. It has over 4000 members. The CFFO influences policy-making and has a voice in Canadian agriculture. He is now Executive Director of the Greater Toronto Area Agriculture Action Committee – connecting farming, food, environment and the public. Come and share!
Malcolm Harrison
www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk
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agriculture
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