FUW URGES CONSUMERS TO KEEP BUYING 'THE WELSH ONE'

Welsh consumers were urged today to continue backing the Farmers' Union of Wales "Buy The Welsh One" campaign after Defra secretary Hilary Benn called for a "radical rethink" of the way food is produced in Britain if farmers are to feed a growing population.

"I believe that here in Wales we have already shown Mr Benn the way he should be going," said FUW president Gareth Vaughan, commenting on Defra's launch of the UK's first food security strategy.

"We have discovered consumer purchase power is a valuable tool in elevating the status of locally sourced, sustainably produced Welsh food which goes part of the way to addressing food security in Wales.

"Food provenance is known to add value to products such as Welsh Beef and Welsh Lamb - which both have Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status - yet approximately 49% of consumers remain uninformed about provenance issues.

"Through appropriately targeted awareness and information campaigns such as ''Buy The Welsh One'', consumers should be encouraged to consider the security of the food items they purchase.

"It is vitally important to reconnect people with the food they consume and to remind the consumer that, due to rising population numbers, food security is as important an issue today as it was during the rationing imposed throughout the Second World War.

"In order for consumers to be able to make a more informed decision, research must be targeted to determine the most sustainable methods of food production and to find the optimum balance between welfare, sustainability and production levels.

"Furthermore, it is essential that the Government leads by example by sourcing locally based, sustainable produce for use in the public sector."

Mr Vaughan added that the FUW continues to promote the high welfare, sustainability and environmental ethics inherent in Welsh farming.

"However, monetary constraints, lack of knowledge and inappropriate or misleading labelling may cause consumers to make purchases which are both unsustainable and which promote food insecurity.

"Little public attention is offered to the rights of the producer. Indeed, the definition of food security presented by Defra states that food security ''means consumers having access at all times to sufficient, safe and nutritious food''.

"Whilst the ability of the consumer to afford the produce is paramount, no attention is given to those producing the food and the necessity of making a profit from agri-production. Any action or solution employed to increase food security must have a workable basis on the ground level and must also allow producers to earn a living from food production.

"Welsh farmers are placed under some of the toughest welfare and environmental legislation in Europe and this elevates the cost of production. The UK agriculture industry requires the consumer to recognise that sustainable food production is costly and that cheaper imports do not necessarily offer the same degree of food security as locally sourced produce.

"True food security is dependent on sustainable, and often costly, production methods. It is important that the UK consumer understands that without stability in production there will be a decline in the availability of local, sustainable, ethical produce.

"With this in mind, Welsh food security must firmly remain a responsibility and priority of the Welsh Assembly Government and Welsh farmers must be offered the resources necessary to secure long-term sustainable increases in agricultural production.

"The reform of the Common Agricultural Policy should provide the incentives and mechanisms to encourage agri-production methods which use less water and fuel and which have a lower environmental impact whilst maintaining or increasing current levels of production."