Home > Campaigns > Real Food > News > December 2002 > More action needed for sustainable farming future
Home > Campaigns > Real Food > News > December 2002 > More action needed for sustainable farming future
The Government's response to the Curry Commission Report on the Future of Farming and Food recognizes the problems but doesn't go far enough in offering real solutions claims Friends of the Earth.
The White Paper provides a good analysis of the environmental, economic and social problems facing food production in the UK. But:
"Today's Farming White Paper recognizes the problems, offers some
solutions, but, ultimately does not go far enough. Increasing dependence
on cheap imported food has major impacts for exporting countries, UK
farmers and the environment. Supermarkets and other food companies thrive
on the global food market which they use to force down farm gate prices
to levels below those needed to sustain farm businesses around the world.
Transporting food round the globe also creates massive amounts of pollution
and adds to global warming," said Friends of the Earth's Food Campaigner
Pete Riley. "The Curry Commission was prevented from tackling the
unfair balance of power in the food industry, and the White Paper fails
to give farmers real hope on how their income levels will improve. This
is a serious omission and could rebound on the Government as thousands
of farmer leave the land, taking the skills needed to maintain the countryside
for tourism and biodiversity."
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