Brand new day

BRITISH farming is on the brink of evolution.

Over the next few years it will be repackaged, rebranded and relaunched to meet the demands of a hungry market. It will, if the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has its way, become king of the global food chain.

Agricultural rebirth began yesterday with the announcement of the Government's new strategy for sustainable farming, gilded with the promise of £500m worth of funding over the next three years.

Many of the recommendations from the recently published Curry Report on the future of food and farming have been adopted to create an "achievable vision of change".

Farmers will operate more like managing directors of a multi-faceted organisations working hard to "reconnect" with their markets.

They will also continue to be custodians of the countryside on a scale to suit them and without much of the red tape which has hindered them in the past.

They will become experts in "best practice", leading the way in new standards of animal welfare and productivity, as well as laying the foundations for a new generation of livestock.

The farming community will help bridge the gap between town and country, creating a synergy between tourism and agriculture as well as an understanding of where the chop on the plate or the milk on breakfast cereal has come from.

A chain of "demonstration farms" will showcase the changes and act as advice centres for farmers looking to emulate their style of business. There will also be training courses offered in a range of subjects. Ultimately they will develop a "brand" to meet market demand. Speciality foods will fill the shelves of local shops as well as supermarkets.

This may all sound like a marketing sound bite, but the message to farmers is clear. Face the future or you will not survive.

Of course many are already doing this, as highlighted in the Evening Press Eat Local campaign launched to emphasis the importance of supporting local producers.

"This strategy is the start of a long-term solution to farming's many problems," said Defra's regional director Gordon Kingston. "But there are no quick fixes, no one panacea. Each farm will have different levels of production, custodianship and diversification. It's like a three-legged stool, one for farming, one for countryside management, one for diversification. The mixture will vary from farm to farm and area to area.

"Farming needs to shift in direction. We've met with all the key agencies and emphasis will be on collaboration at all levels.

"We want to encourage farmers to form collaborative groups, as they themselves are often the best advisors. I'm aware co-operatives are not popular, but they can prove very successful if operated on the right levels. There are already many examples of this in North Yorkshire, including Yorkshire Beef, farmers' markets, and Yorkshire Pantry. The strategy will also support regional development agencies and food groups to help small food producers reach their markets."

Following four main themes - objective change, protecting the environment, investing in the future and health in the community, Defra is determined to promote the best of British, and make it better. It has vowed to create a level playing field for British farmers in the EU.

"The Government are on the farmers' side, especially over Common Agricultural Policy reforms," said Mr Kingston.

"We know farmers may be cynical about the strategy, but we hope they will be convinced by the work we are already doing."

Many are. Sandra Webster, who breeds Aberdeen Angus and Welsh Black cattle to sell meat direct to the consumer from her farm gate in Whixley, between York and Harrogate, said Defra's announcement was good news - as long as it stuck to its promise.

"Farmers are having to change," she said.

"You cannot do what you used to do. You have to give the public what they want and go out to them."

Having inherited the former dairy farm from her father, Sandra and her husband, Paul, decided to diversify into beef on a small scale. Although she considered selling through farmers' markets she has made the business a success through selling it direct to customers who come to the farm.

"People like to look round when they come here," she said.

"They can see where the meat they eat comes from and how it's looked after. All our cattle are home-reared and although we're not registered organic all feed is grown by us. We watch them being born and when it's time for them to be slaughtered they go a few miles up the road to Tholthorpe. The meat is not stressed and afterwards is hung for 14 days. People say they can really taste the difference."

Enjoying interaction with the public, Sandra believes diversification is the only way to survive.

"When customers come here you want them to come back and so you give them every reason. It's not just the meat, but the whole package."

Her support is echoed by National Farmers' Union president Ben Gill, from Easingwold, who said it was committed to working with Defra on the "food chain" delivery.

But he stressed after a series of action plans which failed to produce, it was important this one led to real change.

"In the last year we've seen a further exodus of more than 15,000 people from farming. This can't continue as cannot the 42 per cent fall in UK farm incomes in the last year," said Mr Gill. "The key word here must be action. If all the many recommendations are not implemented soon, it will not be worth the paper it's written on."

Many of the initiatives included in the strategy will not be on line for several months and even years. Meanwhile, farm incomes continue to drop.

Mr Kingston said: "It's all about willingness and controlled change. There are many farmers out there in desperate situations. We want to help them help themselves. We know the public want to buy British whether locally produced or in supermarkets under the little red tractor brand. We want to build on that."

For more information visit www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain or phone 08459 335577.

Updated: 11:19 Friday, December 13, 2002