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GTB · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 8:01 pm Post subject: Fair Trade for Farmers

I was chatting to a mate of mine this afternoon who is a pig farmer. He was saying what a struggle it has become this year due to the increase in cereal prices, which in turn pushes up his overheads and lowers his profit margins (which he assures me is not a lot). He did say that the Supermarkets have increased their prices on British pork by 68p per kilo but the farmer has only received an increase of 10p per kilo. People bang on about fair trade for farmers abroad but isn't it about time we started having a fair trade commitment for British farmers as well before we lose too many of them and have to start importing all our meat from over seas suppliers who's welfare and ethical treatment of their animals is not as good as ours?? Some may argue that farmers are rich landowning toffs who's only purpose is to fill their own pockets but there are a lot more farmers out there who are really living on the breadline trying to make ends meet who could do with a financial boost.

Why not cut out the middlemen supermarkets and go straight to the source - buy your meat from a local farm shop. Who the heck wants to eat New Zealand lamb that has travelled 12000 miles when you can eat Wiltshire born and raised Lamb?? Not only are you lowering your carbon footprint by buying local you are also helping the local economy and helping to preserve local jobs.

Just a thought. :wink:

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Geddi · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 9:30 pm Post subject:

"Bring forth men children only, for thy undaunted mettle .." etc..

Hear hear, GTB. I find it a great irony that to and from the UK we export and import almost EXACTLY the same amount of lamb! What a farce.. Fair trade should begin at home! If it does not, what IS the point? Local, regional and fresh. Hmm... Except my morning cuppa tea of course. Can't miss out on that and until we start being able to grow it on the downs or roundabout, I'll be drinking the stuff from Sri Lanka.

The recent publication of Wessex Water's magazine has dropped through my door a week or so ago. We are all on Wessex Water whether we like it or not, despite privatisation we can not choose our water provider even though the price has increased at something like 11 times inflation. What I found was said by the chef they've got in to spout off hurt my eyes to read. He claims that local produce is not what we should be concerned with but food "in season where ever it is produced in the world." Then he goes on to say: "..food in season should be flown in from all over the world.."

The guy has some good points to make about the real cost of food, and then trashes it all with dumb ideas which will add massively to our CO2 output.

I am writing to Wessex Water and making their ears ring. Please check the article and do likewise.
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Local lass · Calnetalk Oracle Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 2891 Status:

why is it that pork from abroad is cheaper than the english pork? :?

in a ideal world that would happen and we would all eat british but if a family is on a budget they will go for a cheaper option.

Most english pork in this country means they just get slaughtered on english soil.

Local lass · Calnetalk Oracle Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 2891 Status:

why is it that pork from abroad is cheaper than the english pork? :?

in a ideal world that would happen and we would all eat british but if a family is on a budget they will go for a cheaper option.

Most english pork in this country means they just get slaughtered on english soil.

kathy27 · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 6:53 am Post subject:

I agree L.L. As much as i do try to buy british in most things, i dont have a money tree at the end of my garden! I feed a family of 6, all great meat eaters, sometimes british meat is alot more expensive for the size of joint i need, so i end up buying from somewhere else!
I know the farmers dont get alot from the sale of their meat in supermarkets, but why is it so expensive at their shops/markets, surely it should be cheaper :?

Kizzy · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 12:37 pm Post subject:

It's not just meat from abroad that is cheaper, fruit and veg is as well - for example a small punnet of British Strawberries in Sainsburys at the mo' is £2.59, yet a punnet from Spain double the size is £1.49 - Surely it should be more expensive for imports because of shipping costs

Also you really have to double check your meat about where it comes from - Sometimes they state English/British etc, yet they are still imported - Bernard Matthews was a great example of this, he claimed his Turkeys were British, yet they were reared in Hungary - Just because they were hatched in the UK then sent to Hungary until they were ready for slaughter
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