Eating
to Save the Planet
Extracts from an article that first appeared in Manx Life.
Farmers and environmentalists are not often seen as natural bedfellows, but in one key respect they see eye to eye.
Eating local food supports local producers – it also reduces the impact of your lifestyle on global warming. If everyone in Britain ate locally produced food then our collective carbon emissions would be cut by a tenth.
In a recent UK survey* it was shown that 82% of shoppers would probably buy local food if it was clearly labelled. 77% agreed that local food tastes fresher, and 82% trusted local food more than imported products.
Is now the time for supermarkets and government to tackle this issue so that consumers have more choice in the supermarket, without having to read the small print?
Why environmentalists want to see food mile labelling
“Food mile labelling is a clear way in which Islanders can make positive choices to reduce the impact of their life styles on climate change,” says Phil Corlett of Manx Friends of the Earth.
The vast majority of scientists agree that climate change is happening - and that it’s accelerating like a boy-racer. The Isle of Man has already suffered from flooding and high winds - both associated with global warming. The cost to the Island so far, measured from just three related events between 2000 and 2005, has been estimated at almost £30 million.**
The bad news is that we’re currently suffering the impact of CO2 emissions from the early seventies because carbon pumped into our atmosphere takes decades to decay. The fact that our measured emissions have increased dramatically since then means that we’re definitely in for a bumpy ride up to 2040 – even if we change our lifestyles immediately.
But if we don’t change them now then by 2080 the kind of excessive heat we experienced in the summer of 2004 will, frankly, seem a bit chilly. As David Attenborough said recently, “Do you really want to have to look your grandchildren in the eye and say, ‘I knew what would happen – but I did nothing about it’?”
On the Isle of Man we should expect:
· An increase in the number of excessively hot days.
· Heavier monsoon-like rain.
· High winds, storms and gales.
This could lead to:
· Extreme flooding and storm damage
· Severe soil erosion from dry conditions and high winds
· Widespread risk of fire (Bradda mountain has already been devastated by a fire that lasted five days in 2004)
· Heat related illness and death
The Manx government has recently spent six months looking closely at the potential impact of climate change on the Island. DoLGE is now considering what action to take.
One simple action would be to ensure that shoppers know how far their food has travelled by encouraging supermarkets to take the lead in advertising the distance fresh produce has travelled around the world.
By showing clearly the food miles that have been travelled by a particular item consumers can actively choose to buy local.
Why farmers want to see food mile labelling
In 2011 it is anticipated that our Island’s borders will fall to the free market.
Currently there is an agreement with the European Union that allows the Island to limit the amount of red meat it imports to just 20%. That means that most of the meat available on the Island is home produced and the majority of Manx agriculture has been focused on either rearing animals or growing food to feed to animals. Production costs are also higher here than in the UK, therefore the agreement has been essential to maintaining a market advantage for Manx farmers who would otherwise find it very hard to compete on price. The agreement is set to expire on January 1st 2011.
Selling high quality, well presented, local food, to local people is going to be increasingly important to the survival of Manx farming.
“By creating a system of food mile labelling Island retailers will be showing their commitment to excellent local food,” said Howard Quayle, president of the Manx National Farmers’ Union.
At the moment it isn’t possible to fill your food basket with wholly Manx produce. Manx farmers would love for this to change and over the next four years it is likely that we will see a greater mix of products grown here.
If Manx farmers are to successfully make the changes to ensure a greater range of food they will need the support of retailers and shoppers. Food mile labelling would give shoppers the information they need to make informed buying decisions to support local food production, and to lessen their impact on climate change.
How would it work?
While new labelling may sound like a big job for supermarkets the ground work has already been done. Supermarkets have pursued ever clearer systems of farm assurance, which (amongst other things) means that they should know exactly which farms their products have come from.
This knowledge could be passed on to the consumer.
Crumbs, a farm supershop in Sussex, has done just this. Everything they sell is now clearly labelled with information about the farm each product has come from and the exact number of food miles it has travelled (see picture). Crumbs innovator Simon Croft is proud that he’s been able to find this unique selling point. “The younger generation of 30 to 40-year-olds are very interested,” he says. “They want as much information as you can give them to make informed choices.”
Imagine if Shoprite took that on here and the Port Erin branch advertised beef from, “Ballaleece, St. Johns - 13 miles - From cows hand-reared by Manx Radio favourite, John Kennaugh.”
The major retailer that takes this on first would be showing not just creativity, but also a real commitment to local produce and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Can it happen?
The short answer is yes. But as with all things it is a question of when. Supermarkets could start food mile labelling very quickly if they chose. The Manx government could decide to create incentives to persuade (or legislation to force) retailers to support local producers and cut carbon emissions immediately.
In the meantime it’s down to us. It’s down to you and I to speak to the staff in the places we shop. If enough of us ask for food mile labelling we’ll get it - consumer power should never be underestimated. And with the election on the horizon we could ask our local candidates about it too.
Until then, if you see someone in sensible shoes and a pullover peering at the small print on a packet of spuds you’ll know that they’re checking to make sure they personally are buying food to support local farmers, and eating to save the planet.
Support Manx farming by putting a Supermanx sticker in you car. Sticker reads, “Be Supermanx! Ask for local food.” To order a sticker, or for more information about the Manx NFU, please visit : www.manx-nfu.org or call 662 204.
For more information:
Manx government’s climate change response - http://www.gov.im/dlge/enviro/climatechange.xml
Manx Friends of the Earth - call Phil Corlett on 673 484
Crumbs farm shop - http://www.crumbsofsussex.co.uk
*Survey of UK residents carried out by NOP on behalf of Farmers’ Weekly and Triodos Bank during the weekend of 1st and 2nd April 2006.
** Sulby flood in December 2000 cost approx. £3.3m, tidal breeches in February 2002 cost approx £8.6m, and gales in January 2005 cost approx £16.8m.
ENDExtracts from an article that first appeared in Manx Life.
Farmers and environmentalists are not often seen as natural bedfellows, but in one key respect they see eye to eye.
Eating local food supports local producers – it also reduces the impact of your lifestyle on global warming. If everyone in Britain ate locally produced food then our collective carbon emissions would be cut by a tenth.
In a recent UK survey* it was shown that 82% of shoppers would probably buy local food if it was clearly labelled. 77% agreed that local food tastes fresher, and 82% trusted local food more than imported products.
Is now the time for supermarkets and government to tackle this issue so that consumers have more choice in the supermarket, without having to read the small print?
Why environmentalists want to see food mile labelling
“Food mile labelling is a clear way in which Islanders can make positive choices to reduce the impact of their life styles on climate change,” says Phil Corlett of Manx Friends of the Earth.
The vast majority of scientists agree that climate change is happening - and that it’s accelerating like a boy-racer. The Isle of Man has already suffered from flooding and high winds - both associated with global warming. The cost to the Island so far, measured from just three related events between 2000 and 2005, has been estimated at almost £30 million.**
The bad news is that we’re currently suffering the impact of CO2 emissions from the early seventies because carbon pumped into our atmosphere takes decades to decay. The fact that our measured emissions have increased dramatically since then means that we’re definitely in for a bumpy ride up to 2040 – even if we change our lifestyles immediately.
But if we don’t change them now then by 2080 the kind of excessive heat we experienced in the summer of 2004 will, frankly, seem a bit chilly. As David Attenborough said recently, “Do you really want to have to look your grandchildren in the eye and say, ‘I knew what would happen – but I did nothing about it’?”
On the Isle of Man we should expect:
· An increase in the number of excessively hot days.
· Heavier monsoon-like rain.
· High winds, storms and gales.
This could lead to:
· Extreme flooding and storm damage
· Severe soil erosion from dry conditions and high winds
· Widespread risk of fire (Bradda mountain has already been devastated by a fire that lasted five days in 2004)
· Heat related illness and death
The Manx government has recently spent six months looking closely at the potential impact of climate change on the Island. DoLGE is now considering what action to take.
One simple action would be to ensure that shoppers know how far their food has travelled by encouraging supermarkets to take the lead in advertising the distance fresh produce has travelled around the world.
By showing clearly the food miles that have been travelled by a particular item consumers can actively choose to buy local.
Why farmers want to see food mile labelling
In 2011 it is anticipated that our Island’s borders will fall to the free market.
Currently there is an agreement with the European Union that allows the Island to limit the amount of red meat it imports to just 20%. That means that most of the meat available on the Island is home produced and the majority of Manx agriculture has been focused on either rearing animals or growing food to feed to animals. Production costs are also higher here than in the UK, therefore the agreement has been essential to maintaining a market advantage for Manx farmers who would otherwise find it very hard to compete on price. The agreement is set to expire on January 1st 2011.
Selling high quality, well presented, local food, to local people is going to be increasingly important to the survival of Manx farming.
“By creating a system of food mile labelling Island retailers will be showing their commitment to excellent local food,” said Howard Quayle, president of the Manx National Farmers’ Union.
At the moment it isn’t possible to fill your food basket with wholly Manx produce. Manx farmers would love for this to change and over the next four years it is likely that we will see a greater mix of products grown here.
If Manx farmers are to successfully make the changes to ensure a greater range of food they will need the support of retailers and shoppers. Food mile labelling would give shoppers the information they need to make informed buying decisions to support local food production, and to lessen their impact on climate change.
How would it work?
While new labelling may sound like a big job for supermarkets the ground work has already been done. Supermarkets have pursued ever clearer systems of farm assurance, which (amongst other things) means that they should know exactly which farms their products have come from.
This knowledge could be passed on to the consumer.
Crumbs, a farm supershop in Sussex, has done just this. Everything they sell is now clearly labelled with information about the farm each product has come from and the exact number of food miles it has travelled (see picture). Crumbs innovator Simon Croft is proud that he’s been able to find this unique selling point. “The younger generation of 30 to 40-year-olds are very interested,” he says. “They want as much information as you can give them to make informed choices.”
Imagine if Shoprite took that on here and the Port Erin branch advertised beef from, “Ballaleece, St. Johns - 13 miles - From cows hand-reared by Manx Radio favourite, John Kennaugh.”
The major retailer that takes this on first would be showing not just creativity, but also a real commitment to local produce and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
Can it happen?
The short answer is yes. But as with all things it is a question of when. Supermarkets could start food mile labelling very quickly if they chose. The Manx government could decide to create incentives to persuade (or legislation to force) retailers to support local producers and cut carbon emissions immediately.
In the meantime it’s down to us. It’s down to you and I to speak to the staff in the places we shop. If enough of us ask for food mile labelling we’ll get it - consumer power should never be underestimated. And with the election on the horizon we could ask our local candidates about it too.
Until then, if you see someone in sensible shoes and a pullover peering at the small print on a packet of spuds you’ll know that they’re checking to make sure they personally are buying food to support local farmers, and eating to save the planet.
Support Manx farming by putting a Supermanx sticker in you car. Sticker reads, “Be Supermanx! Ask for local food.” To order a sticker, or for more information about the Manx NFU, please visit : www.manx-nfu.org or call 662 204.
For more information:
Manx government’s climate change response - http://www.gov.im/dlge/enviro/climatechange.xml
Manx Friends of the Earth - call Phil Corlett on 673 484
Crumbs farm shop - http://www.crumbsofsussex.co.uk
*Survey of UK residents carried out by NOP on behalf of Farmers’ Weekly and Triodos Bank during the weekend of 1st and 2nd April 2006.
** Sulby flood in December 2000 cost approx. £3.3m, tidal breeches in February 2002 cost approx £8.6m, and gales in January 2005 cost approx £16.8m.
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