Memorandum submitted by Northern Foods
plc (SFS 09)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The responses from Northern Foods plc assume
that the UK, a population dense country, will remain to 2030 and
2050 an importing country for certain food commodities long
accepted in an established trading nation as part of a mixed,
balanced, general UK diet. The additional challenges perceived
as arising are largely the result of climate change, including
but not limited to:
— New crop hazards and pests prompting
change in agricultural practice.
— The adoption of crops to changing,
less predictable weather conditions.
— Population environmental migration,
predominantly from Africa.
The potential solutions are perceived in the
development and application of science; in the development of
infrastructure responsive to changing requirements; and in the
extension of training and education.
RESPONSES:
Specific responses to the questions posed are
under-noted.
1. How robust is the current UK food system?
What are its main strengths and weaknesses?
The UK food system has been characterised for
many years by improving yields for primary produce, by advanced
food manufacturing and logistics practices minimising waste and
by a sophisticated supply chain meeting consumer expectations
for quality, safety and convenience. Various studies conducted
for different reasons have demonstrated both the robustness and
the responsiveness of the system.
The UK is a long established trading nation
for many food commodities and is likely to continue to fulfil
some of its needs via importation of food until 2050 and
beyond. The increasingly unpredictable effects of weather, coupled
with the expected growing demand for food, will impact on availability,
thus cost, and may if unchecked promote protectionist practices.
2. How well placed is the UK to make the most
of its opportunities in responding to the challenge of increasing
global food production by 50% by 2030 and doubling it by
2050, while ensuring that such production is sustainable?
The UK is potentially in an advantageous position,
in an increasingly global economy, with the knowledge and expertise
long deployed to help other countries improve both production
and preservation practices. For example, India is the leading
producer of fruit and vegetables yet 40% of produce currently
grown fails to reach the consumer because of a lack of preservation
and distribution infrastructure. UK expertise can be employed
far beyond national boundaries to help develop local solutions
to global problems.
3. In particular, what are the challenges
the UK faces in relation to the following aspects of the supply
side of the food system:
3.1 Soil quality: Without intervention,
soil erosion and nitrification may be expected. Care should be
exercised to ensure the work of other agencies does not encourage
the un-composted return of materials to the soil, with further
unintended environmental and food chain consequences.
3.2 Water availability: Even at present,
in one third of England and Wales, water cannot be abstracted
throughout the year. There is a need to address the challenges
of water harvest technologies and distribution within the UK.
3.3 The marine environment: Best
available wild species conservation techniques should be employed
to protect the marine environment, in conjunction with a drive,
wherever possible, to replace hunted species with farmed, sustainable,
aquaculture alternatives.
3.4 The science base: There is a
key challenge in encouraging generally the study of the sciences
and in improving specifically the attractiveness of the range
of agriculture and food related sciences to new generations of
potential students.
3.5 The provision of training: Problem
solving requires the deployment of knowledge, skills and talent.
Increases in incentives to improve training can only be welcomed.
3.6 Trade barriers: Recognising the
sensitivities in consumer health risk assessment, care should
be exercised to avoid the precautionary principle allowing the
building of unnecessary technical and commercial barriers to trade.
The removal of inappropriate standards should be encouraged, wherever
possible, to free trade.
3.7 The way in which land is farmed and
managed: Challenges arise in understanding true agricultural
best, sustainable, practice; in communicating with a disengaged,
often mistrustful consumer base; in re-determining land availability
for crops use; and in adaptability to mitigate the effects of
climate change.
4. What trends are likely to emerge on the
demand side of the food system in the UK, in terms of consumer
taste and habits, and what will be their main effect? What use
could be made of local food networks?
The UK consumer has become accustomed to convenience,
wide variety, wide choice and 24/7 availability in their
selection of foods; fundamental demand expectations are unlikely
to change in the foreseeable future. Increasing understanding
of a requirement for environmental resource efficiency may affect
food selections made but the continuing uncertainties as to the
relative values of local food sourcing and fossil carbon efficient
food sourcing strategies render in effect prediction uncertainties.
5. What role should DEFRA play both in ensuring
that the strengths of the UK food system are maintained and in
addressing the weaknesses that have been identified? What leadership
and assistance should DEFRA provide to the food industry?
The key role is in the delivery, support and
application of sound science to aid sustainable decision making
throughout the food supply chain. Means of addressing consumer
mistrust of scientific solutions should be actively considered.
6. How well does DEFRA engage with other relevant
departments across Government, and with European and international
bodies, on food policy and the regulatory framework for the food
supply chain? Is there a current cross-Government food strategy?
Value judgements can be difficult to make in
absolute terms. It may be beneficial to question whether cross-Government
food strategy is understood in the sector and by the end consumer.
7. What criteria should DEFRA use to monitor
how well the UK is doing in responding to the challenge of doubling
food production by 2050 while ensuring that such production
is sustainable?
Primary agricultural and finished food outputs,
expressed as some form of tonnage to fossil carbon ratios, may
be appropriate criteria for monitoring purposes. This will require
the development of appropriate, practicable, carbon calculation
tools.
Northern Foods plc
January 2009
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