Agriculture together with food and drink, rural tourism and those servicing these businesses contribute nearly 15% of the South West’s Gross Domes Asked to look at how the Food Matters strategy is alive in the South West and how businesses can play their part in delivering its ambitions.
For years we have behaved as if resources were limitless. In the last decade the concept of three planet living has emerged. But we don’t have three planets: The same terms are used by economists, and the credit crunch has suddenly, unexpectedly, demonstrated the realism of the environmentalist message: The credit based banking system was robust as long as it was backed by genuine value: but borrowing over 3 times the value of the asset base is just another form of 3 planet living
Where resources are concerned there should be no such thing as “waste” It costs us money to dispose of, and at every stage its value is reduced while costs go up
Can seriously reduce control of the producer over the end price Eg Farmers claim ‘ethical’ Co-op is driving too hard a bargain The Coop is said to have asked for guaranteed 50% margins and a longer payment window. The NFU is reporting widespread dissatisfaction over recent negotiations with the Co-op following its £1.6bn takeover of Somerfield. (Observer business section 13.9.09)
And much more…
This is the area where regionally we can make a difference: shortening and improving the supply chain, linking processors locally As economies of scale have been realised, local abattoirs, packing sheds and processing plants have closed. Along with larger abattoirs come a host of issues for animal welfare: the length of journey; the necessary mixing of livestock with strangers and the consequent aggression that can take place; the need to restrict the transport of horned animals are just a few. The nature of the workplace is another major change: it is much harder to exhibit compassion when as a slaughterman you are repeatedly fulfilling one task on the slaughtering production line.
Food Matters is largely a policy framework document “higher level”, seeking to influence the context of business decisions, while leaving the business of food to the sector itself. For example not challenging the domination of the sector and the whole supply chain by the supermarkets
Focuses mainly on customer end of the chain Some useful links, but mainly looking at higher level policies on food security, reduction of waste, labelling and “5 a day” Not seeking to encourage Corporate Social responsibility other than by implication that the strategy will encourage it to develop. However David Williamson1 , Gary Lynch-Wood1 and John Ramsay2 Drivers of Environmental Behaviour in Manufacturing SMEs and the Implications for CSR Journal for Business Ethics Since the environment is a pillar of corporate social responsibility (CSR), the findings have important implications for CSR policy, which promotes voluntary actions predicated on a business case. It is argued that this approach will not alter the behaviour of manufacturing SMEs significantly because CSR practice will be regarded as an optional and costly ‚extra’ affecting core business activity. Consequently, the use and development of existing regulatory structures, providing minimum standards for many activities covered by CSR, remains the most effective means through which the behaviour of manufacturing SMEs will be changed in the short to medium-term. Another feature of the paper is the distinction made between ‚business performance’ and the ‚business case’ argument. Business performance emphasises cost reductions and efficiency whereas the business case accentuates the benefits to shareholders of good practices as their firms become more attractive to stakeholders and society. Manufacturing SMEs␣try to improve business performance because of the pressures placed on them by market-dominated decision-making frames. These frames do not encourage manufacturing SMEs to undertake voluntary actions for the benefit of wider stakeholders and society.
Sustainable Farming and Food delivery Plan Published May 2004. Things have moved on a bit, and written today might be more adventurous, but major coming together of the environmental, economic and social issues around food production in the SW SW Food and Drink and CORE
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