Fair
Trade begins at home
“He’s very nice your minister – wish ours was like that!” Emyr Jones, vice president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, was speaking last Friday before news of the UK Cabinet reshuffle and following Phil Gawne’s presentation to the Fairness for Farmers in Europe conference at Castletown Golf Links Hotel.
Delegates from across Britain and Ireland were impressed both that the minister had taken the time to visit them and that he shared their concerns about the enormous variance between the profits of major supermarkets and the price paid to producers.
“We ought to be arguing for more of a level playing field,” Mr Gawne said, “where farmers are paid a fairer price for the food they produce.”
Certainly the gap between the profits of the supermarkets and the prices paid to farmers is growing. Food is getting cheaper, retailers’ profits are getting higher each year, and yet farmers are being paid roughly the same prices they were a dozen years ago, despite rises in their own costs of production.
Howard Quayle, president of the Manx NFU, is very keen to point out that he is not anti-supermarket, or anti-profit. “Everyone has to make a living,” he said, “we’re not suggesting supermarkets should be charities! But it’s only fair that hard-working farmers take a fair share of the price of the food they have worked to produce.”
The best example of high profit is Tesco. The retailing giant made £2 billion pounds last year; £1 in every £8 spent in Britain is now paid directly to them; and they now control 30% of the grocery market in the UK.
In the Isle of Man they have just one store, which means that local people are able to access the diversity of product the supermarket supplies, without it solely dominating the retailing landscape. It’s important that this remains the case in order that the Island continues to be farmed in a manner which protects our environment and beautiful landscape.
Since the start of 2006 the industry has lost a Manx farmer a month. It would be a crying shame if in ten years time we were left with just a few industrial scale farms working comparatively giant areas. To maintain our hedges, fields, heathland and glens: our natural heritage - we must also protect our family farmer.
“Working together we can convince the Manx people of the need to support the agricultural industry in order that we preserve our traditions,” said Mr. Gawne. “We must be able to feed our own people in the future, or that’ll be a sad look out for us all. To do this we must try to ensure fairer prices for our farmers.”
With the potential introdution of the free market in 2011 it is even more important that local people support local farms, and ask for Manx produce.
The Island’s farming industry is entering an exciting period, but to compete there must be a fairer distribution of profit. Many Islanders already support Manx produce, and many Islanders also care about fair trade in the developing world. All farmers are asking for is Fair Trade at home as well.
END“He’s very nice your minister – wish ours was like that!” Emyr Jones, vice president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, was speaking last Friday before news of the UK Cabinet reshuffle and following Phil Gawne’s presentation to the Fairness for Farmers in Europe conference at Castletown Golf Links Hotel.
Delegates from across Britain and Ireland were impressed both that the minister had taken the time to visit them and that he shared their concerns about the enormous variance between the profits of major supermarkets and the price paid to producers.
“We ought to be arguing for more of a level playing field,” Mr Gawne said, “where farmers are paid a fairer price for the food they produce.”
Certainly the gap between the profits of the supermarkets and the prices paid to farmers is growing. Food is getting cheaper, retailers’ profits are getting higher each year, and yet farmers are being paid roughly the same prices they were a dozen years ago, despite rises in their own costs of production.
Howard Quayle, president of the Manx NFU, is very keen to point out that he is not anti-supermarket, or anti-profit. “Everyone has to make a living,” he said, “we’re not suggesting supermarkets should be charities! But it’s only fair that hard-working farmers take a fair share of the price of the food they have worked to produce.”
The best example of high profit is Tesco. The retailing giant made £2 billion pounds last year; £1 in every £8 spent in Britain is now paid directly to them; and they now control 30% of the grocery market in the UK.
In the Isle of Man they have just one store, which means that local people are able to access the diversity of product the supermarket supplies, without it solely dominating the retailing landscape. It’s important that this remains the case in order that the Island continues to be farmed in a manner which protects our environment and beautiful landscape.
Since the start of 2006 the industry has lost a Manx farmer a month. It would be a crying shame if in ten years time we were left with just a few industrial scale farms working comparatively giant areas. To maintain our hedges, fields, heathland and glens: our natural heritage - we must also protect our family farmer.
“Working together we can convince the Manx people of the need to support the agricultural industry in order that we preserve our traditions,” said Mr. Gawne. “We must be able to feed our own people in the future, or that’ll be a sad look out for us all. To do this we must try to ensure fairer prices for our farmers.”
With the potential introdution of the free market in 2011 it is even more important that local people support local farms, and ask for Manx produce.
The Island’s farming industry is entering an exciting period, but to compete there must be a fairer distribution of profit. Many Islanders already support Manx produce, and many Islanders also care about fair trade in the developing world. All farmers are asking for is Fair Trade at home as well.
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