United Kingdom-From the Food Conference at Harrogate.
Linking the regions farmers by Farexchange, a new initiative for developing sustainable and secure food supplies, arranged the conference on 3 March at the Pavillions in Victoria Gardens to unveil four new collaborations aimed at linking the region’s farmers, food manufacturers and retailers more effectively.
Malt Supply Chain, United Biscuits Potato Grower Group, North Yorkshire Moors Lamb and the Beef Short Horn Supply Chain have all been recently set up by Farexchange to develop more efficient processes and to reduce haulage costs.
Securing supplies and fair prices through regional cooperation is vital for Yorkshire’s food industry, said meeting chairman Chris Blundell, a former director of supermarket chain Morrisons.
A cross-section of around 50 food industry professionals at the meeting, including English Food and Farming Partnerships (EFFP) chief executive Sion Roberts and Yorkshire Forward’s new sector manager for food and drink Alan Hayes, heard about the dynamics driving food prices upwards despite the current recession.
Arable land in Yorkshire contributes around 14 percent to the UK’s entire production of grain and all of this could be used in the drive to supply bio-fuel production, potentially creating a major shortfall of crop production land.
Other factors include the depreciation of the pound against its major trading currencies making imports of food more expensive, and the pressure put on land caused by a ballooning world population.
However, Mr Blundell told the audience that the solutions to these problems could be close to home. He said: "Changing economic and environmental landscapes present both a challenge and a great opportunity for UK farmers and food manufacturers to work together to ensure continuity of supply and fair pricing."
Farexchange’s operational manager, Paul Rhodes, said that long term trading partnerships were the key to unlocking business growth. The team is in talks with a significant number of Yorkshire and Humber’s farmers and food manufacturers about creating more collaborative supply chains later in the year.
Alan Hayes closed the session by impressing on attendees - who had tucked into a hearty breakfast including locally sourced sausages - of the importance of Farexchange and the value it brings to regional supply chains by reducing the carbon footprint, improving traceability and reinvestment back into the region.
Funding for the Farexchange project is being made available through the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union, and is managed by Yorkshire Forward in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
EFFP is delivering the programme in collaboration with the Regional Food Group, Country Land & Business Association, National Farmers Union, Fare Solutions, Askham Bryan College, Bishop Burton College, Yorkshire Agricultural Society, EBLEX and BPEX.
