Overseas threat to British organic meat farmers

Yes, we know we should be vegetarians, but we really do like a bit of British, organic meat now and then, and that's why we were gutted to learn from a report published today by the Soil Association that "supermarket pricing is holding back UK organic meat production".

The report explains that in the past year, imports of organic meat have increased and most British organic meat farmers who supply supermarkets have been short-changed. On average, supermarkets pay farmers a shocking 40 pence less per kilo of beef than it cost to produce it.

SmartPlanet talked to a British organic livestock farmer and supplier to a major UK supermarket, who thinks the Soil Association's report is spot on. The farmer wants to remain anonymous, but tells us: "The prices on organic meat, lamb especially, are historically low, but it's difficult to know whether the impetus comes from the processors or the supermarkets."

As a possible solution to the gloomy situation, the farmer suggests: "Perhaps farmers should collaborate in groups and sit down with the processors and negotiate a forward minimum price based on costs. I think organic farming in the UK has got potential to get this kind of structure in place. And consumers can help by using their power to lobby supermarkets."

Phil Stocker, the Soil Association’s Head of Food and Farming, agrees: "Organic farmers should play their part by joining organic marketing groups, if they have not already done so. This approach is essential to give greater collective activity and organisation in the market place -- smaller scale spot trading into national markets is not sustainable or desirable for anyone in the longer term.”

Michael Benson from Sheepdrove Farm told SmartPlanet the best thing consumers can do is to make sure the organic meat they buy comes from the local area, whether it's bought in a supermarket or not. He said: "We only supply to Waitrose and of course things can always be better, but we're happy. I think we've got a unique relationship with Waitrose -- we're a small farm and they sell our products in local stores, which keeps the food miles down."

If the situation continues and organic meat farmers continue to be paid an unsustainably low price for their meat, it will make it difficult -- perhaps almost impossible -- for consumers to get British, organic meat in the future. It will also mean that we'll clock up substantially more CO2 emissions if we can only buy imported organic meat. Comparing the carbon footprint of  a Welsh joint of beef  to an Argentinian one, the Soil Association found the Argentinian one caused a whopping 320.6g CO2 in transport -- the same as keeping an average TV on for four hours extra every day for a whole year -- whereas the Welsh one only produced 38.5g.

Stocker concludes: "There is a clear and urgent need to relocalise food production and distribution, given the challenges we face from climate change and peak oil. Countries like the UK should be building their food supplies around their indigenous population, with limited trade to fill the gaps."

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