‘Free-range producers must pull together’

The British Free Range Egg Producers Association’s (BFREPA) policy director Robert Gooch had strong words for its members at this year’s annual conference, held at the National Motorcycle Museum, Birmingham.

Mr Gooch told the BFREPA conference that members needed to stop “mud-slinging”, and use the correct channels to voice concerns or complaints. He also called for the industry to pull together, and get behind ongoing flock surveys and ADAS auditing of farm costs.

Mr Gooch said a vocal minority were circulating “conspiracy theories and allegations about un-competitive behaviour”, adding that this did the sector “no favours at all”.

He told the conference that concerns should be submitted through a regional council member, who can escalate them properly, so that they could be acted upon.

“Mud-slinging in media, blogs and on websites is not going to be a very successful channel for action by BFREPA while I’m director of policy.”
Robert Gooch, BFREPA policy director

“Mud-slinging in media, blogs and on websites is not going to be a very successful channel for action by BFREPA while I’m director of policy.”

Mr Gooch reminded producers that their direct customers were packers, and ultimately retailers.

“They’re very important to us and we need to work with them if we’re going to get our product to market,” he said.

He praised the work that the British Egg Information Service did for the industry in promoting eggs, but questioned the benefits of British Egg Industry Council representation.

Mr Gooch said throughout his experience working with different trade bodies in different sectors, he had never come across an industry body that “presents no statistics or information whatsoever”.

This, he said, was why completing the members’ flock surveys and supporting the ADAS auditing programme on production costs that were so important.

More on this topic

Read our interview with outgoing BFREPA chairman John Retson

Jake Davies on G+