Archived press release

Food and farming - the debate starts here

24 September 2001

While the Congress of European Agriculture convenes at the Waterfront Hall today to discuss farming in the global economy, top environmentalist, Charles Secrett, Executive Director of Friends of the Earth [1], will visit Belfast [2] to help launch a debate on the future of food and farming in Northern Ireland.

Charles Secrett said:

"Farming has been devastated by BSE, Foot and Mouth and a system of subsidies which favours the big corporations and intensive producers. We need to fundamentally re-think how we produce our food. The aim must be to make affordable, healthy and uncontaminated food available to all while protecting the environment and creating vibrant rural economies."

He added:

"There is a lively and heated debate in Great Britain at the moment about the future of farming in the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth catastrophe. Northern Ireland needs to have that debate too - or risk losing out by pursuing business as usual.

"We need to move to low input and organic systems which not only produce good food but create jobs and keep farmers in business. There is enormous potential for establishing local producer, consumer and retailer chains as a means of revitalising rural economies."

John Woods, Head of Campaigns for Friends of the Earth (Northern Ireland), said:

"The scope of the debate must be wide and include farmers, consumers and everyone in between. We need to look at public health and food poverty; genetic modification; the tension between supermarket power and producing food for local use; the effect of world trade rules and CAP reform; the scope for organic production and low input farming; and the future of rural communities and the rural way of life."

Friends of the Earth is calling on Minister, Bríd Rodgers MLA, to lead the debate. John Woods said:

"We want the Minister to provide the kind of leadership she showed during the Foot and Mouth crisis in the post Foot and Mouth era. This isn't just a matter for power-brokers in the agri-food industry and politicians. It's an issue which affects everyone so everyone should have the chance of being involved. The Minister is perfectly placed to make that happen."

Notes

[1] (back)Charles Secrett is Executive Director of Friends of the Earth (England, Wales and Northern Ireland). In 1999, The observer newspaper ranked him the 36th most influential person in Britain in their 'Power 300 List'.

[2] (back) Charles will be speaking at a 'Question-Time' event on the future of food and farming at 7.30 pm on Monday 24th September in the The Studio, Waterfront Hall, Belfast. The panel will comprise John Gilliland, Deputy President of the Ulster Farmers Union; Charles Secrett, Executive Director, Friends of the Earth (England Wales & Northern Ireland); Dr Jane Wilde, Director of the Institute of Public Health; and a Government representative.

Friends of the Earth Northern Ireland
7 Donegall Street Place
BELFAST
BT1 2FN
Tel: 028 9023 3488
Fax: 028 9024 7556
Email: foe-ni@foe.co.uk.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust