SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND FARMING

1. The Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food was appointed by the Government in August last year under the chairmanship of Sir Donald Curry. The Commission's remit was to advise the Government on how to create a sustainable, competitive, and diverse farming and food sector which will contribute to a thriving rural economy and advance environmental, economic, health, and animal welfare goals. The Commission's report was published in January and in response the Government published a consultation document in March entitled "Sustainable Food and Farming". The Consultation Document focused on six key areas where the Government envisaged real change would occur, namely

(i) joining up the food chain.


(ii) improving farm performance


(iii) farming's contribution to sustainable rural economies


(iv) protecting and enhancing the environment


(v) Improving public health


(vi) Improving animal health

2. The Cabinet has welcomed the Government's intention to develop a strategy for sustainable food and farming and in responding in detail to the Consultation document has urged the Government to accept fully the recommendations of the Curry Report which has the following among its key recommendations.

· a radical and immediate reform of the Common Agricultural Policy with increased emphasis on shifting funds from direct payments for food into diversification and environmental measures;


· the introduction of improved measures for analysing agricultural performance within the rural economy;


· the creation of a new board to oversee public research into food and farming and a new programme of demonstration farms;


· establishing a food chain centre to bring together people from each part of the food chain to improve efficiency and consumer value;


· the introduction of better food safety controls on imported food;


· more efficient coordination of regulations affecting agriculture;


· support for diversification initiatives;


· encouragement of farm flood management schemes;


· properly rewarding the farming industry for managing the countryside;


· the introduction of measures to reduce transport within food distribution, and reduce waste from packaging;


· improved access to farms, particularly by school children; and


· the introduction of measures for improving nutrition of the nation's diet.

3. The full text of the County Council's response is available on request and copies have also been sent to the Hampshire Members of Parliament, National Farmers' Union the Country Land and Business Association, and other such bodies.

4. In the Autumn the Government intends to produce its Strategy document and the Cabinet has asked to receive at that stage a further report examining what future actions the County Council might take to support the farming community in the light of the new Strategy.

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