Campaign for supermarket fairness builds momentum
© Riverford Riverford has relaunched its campaign calling for fairer treatment of farmers by supermarkets, coinciding with the government’s current review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), the regulator overseeing supply chain fairness.
The #GetFairAboutFarming campaign campaign was first launched by the organic produce supplier two years ago, supported by Sustain.
It aims to expand protections for farmers who face unfair trading practices such as late payments and cancelled orders.
Research by Riverford shows that nearly a third of farmers have been affected by these issues, while two-thirds fear speaking out due to the risk of being delisted by supermarkets.
See also: Farmers to get fairer deals for combinable crops
The campaign has gained political traction, with 66 MPs now backing an early day motion in Parliament.
This calls for a stronger, better-resourced regulator that combines the powers of the GCA and the Agriculture Supply Chain Adjudicator (Asca) for a joined-up approach to enforcement.
Currently, the GCA oversees only direct suppliers to major supermarkets – usually packagers and processors – leaving most farmers to rely on Asca, which lacks power to hold supermarkets accountable.
This split system leaves farmers vulnerable, as unfair practices by supermarkets often cascade down the supply chain to farmers, who have little recourse.
Georgina Edwards, Sustain’s sustainable farming campaign officer, said: “If supermarkets cancel orders or delay payments, farmers bear the brunt, yet only direct suppliers are protected by the GCA.
“We need one regulator to cover the entire chain and protect farmers.”
The campaign urges the government to bolster the GCA with more resources and proactive powers such as random audits, and to enforce fair dealing principles to stop supermarkets’ unfair treatment of farmers.
With a government review under way and growing parliamentary support, campaigners say now is the crucial moment to fix supply chain fairness.
They want to see farmers receive a fair share for the food they produce and can sustain environment-friendly farming practices.
You can send a templated letter asking for a statutory review to your MP on Sustain’s website.
School meals expansion could offer £600m to farmers
Expanding free school meals to all children in households receiving Universal Credit could deliver a £600m annual boost to British farming, according to new research.
The Follow the Carrot report, published by Sustain and partners, urges the UK government to ensure the expansion of school meals supports local and sustainable food.
With 540 million extra school meals expected, the policy could drive major demand for British-grown produce such as carrots, potatoes and broccoli.
Campaigners say it is a unique opportunity to improve children’s health and educational performance while revitalising UK agriculture.
They call for clear targets to ensure at least 50% of school food comes from British farms.