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Agri-Food Research findings
Agri Food Research Findings
The eagerly awaited findings of recent research into the agriculture and food and drink of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly confirm just how vital these industries are to the area.
The research, commissioned by the Cornwall Development Company and undertaken by University of Exeter’s Centre for Rural Policy Research and Cornwall Food & Drink, found that, in terms of employment, the combined agriculture and food and drink sectors are twice as important in Cornwall as they are on average nationally and account for a whopping 63,700 food-related jobs, almost 30% of all jobs in the county.
This combination of industries has an enormous economic value, contributing around 18% to the county’s economic output when taking all elements of the supply chain together and worth at least £1.4 billion in annual turnover.
The current study being undertaken during the present more demanding economic climate means that the world is a tougher place to do business at the moment and Cornwall is no exception. Matt Lobley, who led the research for the University of Exeter, said, “Across the board, from farming to food manufacturing and in the service industries of retail, wholesale and hospitality, the supply chain is affected by cost-price pressures, where input costs have risen faster than the prices businesses are able to charge for their products or services”.
Ruth Huxley, director of Cornwall Food & Drink, agrees but stresses that the survey showed significant differences in how businesses have been affected and the manner in which they have reacted. “By and large the recession has revealed any basic business weaknesses and anyone papering over the cracks is, frankly, unlikely to survive this tough climate, but there are numerous ways of dealing with the current squeeze and we have discovered some diverse strategies. For example, while some businesses are concentrating on protecting their market share by keeping their existing customers happy and not taking on new risks, others are exploring new markets, boosting their turnover to compensate for diminishing margin and spreading their risk. All these strategies have their merits; the important thing is for businesses to have one – these are not times for a laissez faire approach.”
To accompany the study of Cornwall’s agri-food sector, Cornwall Food & Drink carried out a review of the UK food market, which has been published as a separate report. This contains a broad analysis of consumer and industry trends nationally and uncovers shopper and dining trends that offer opportunities for businesses to capitalise on.
The report indicates how people’s dining habits are beginning to polarise, with good value, simple dining doing well at one end of the spectrum and top quality fine dining remaining popular for special occasions and higher spending customers at the other. However, this means that the mid-market is experiencing some difficulty, partly due to initiatives such as the retailers’ ‘Dine in for £10’ and similar promotions.
What does this all mean for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and what actions will be taken with the findings of the research at a strategic level? David Rodda, Rural Delivery Manager for Cornwall Development Company, stresses that a range of indicators can be identified from the research. “It is clear from the studies that Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have an incredibly strong, vibrant and important agri-food industry; however, no-one should be complacent at the current time. It is therefore great to be able to identify numerous examples of innovative ideas and ways in which Cornwall can continue to develop its agriculture and food and drink businesses, some of which could offer the chance for us to be UK and even global leaders in certain spheres. The key thing is that we don’t allow the opportunities to pass us by, so I will be working hard with Cornwall Agri-food Council and partners such as Cornwall Food & Drink, to establish a strategy that capitalises on our strengths and continues to build real value into the sector to protect it in the longer term.”
Those interested in the full report can download a copy free of charge from
http://cornwallfoodanddrink.co.uk/hot-topics/key-new-research-just-released
or
http://socialsciences.exeter.ac.uk/research/centres/crpr/research/publications/researchreports/
Farming & Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS)
The Farm and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS), part of the RDPE programme, aims to help farmers, foresters and horticultural businesses in England to increase profits and reduce their impact on the environment.
Farmers, foresters, contractors, woodland owners and horticulturalists across England are eligible to apply for grants to invest in green projects and new machinery so their businesses can grow in an environmentally friendly way. The selection process is competitive and applications will be appraised against one another. To be eligible for funding projects must fall within one of the following key areas of activity:
- nutrient management,
- energy efficiency,
- water resource management,
- animal health and welfare and
- forestry
This handbook has been designed to help applicants get the most from FFIS. The accompanying leaflet highlights the key points of the scheme.
The 1st round of the scheme is open from Wednesday 16 November 2011 until 17 January 2012
For more information view the applicants handbook
Cornish Pasty Association - Annual Meeting
The Cornish Pasty Association held its annual meeting this month at Kingsley Village, Fraddon. The meeting comes following the recent success of the Association in gaining Protected Status for the Cornish Pasty. The PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) ensures that only Cornish bakers who make genuine Cornish pasties use this denomination when selling and marketing their produce.
The current Chairman, Mark Muncey of Proper Cornish welcomed everyone present and introduced the Committee.
Made up entirely of Cornish pasty producers, Mark Duddridge of Ginsters gave a presentation on the story of the Association so far, and commented on the work of the Committee to date; “It has been a long journey; we started work towards the PGI in 1999, seemingly against all odds! We formed the Association to protect the heritage of the Cornish Pasty. We were obviously aware that the production of Cornish pasties makes a significant contribution to the Cornish Economy and that Cornwall's pasty producers are important providers of year-round employment. It is has been truly inspiring to see a group of producers coming together with one common goal – to protect our local dish”.
David Rodda of Cornwall Development Company and Secretariat for the Association gave a run down on the PGI and explained exactly where it fits and what the approval means for producers within the EU.
This was followed up by Phil Ugalde of Proper Cornish who presented on ‘what the PGI status means for the pasty industry in Cornwall’. Phil said “We have a great pride in our industry and a great deal of expertise. Approval of the PGI means many positive things for Cornish food producers, but above all it shows that Cornwall is a strong contender as a genuine food county, with a genuine product. It has raised the profile of the Cornish food brand and proven that the Cornish pasty belongs to Cornwall.”
Presentations were then given by Elaine Ead of The Chough Bakery, Jason Jobling of Warrens and Wayne Day of Tamar Foods to illustrate exactly how the PGI has helped small, medium and large businesses.
A very successful evening was then brought to a close by the Chairman who advised on the next steps to be taken to move the Association forward, which include the formation of a CIC (Community Interest Company), auditing of members, the announcement of a formal AGM (date to be confirmed) and a newsletter.
To find out more about the Association and the PGI, visit their website at:
RDPE at Royal Cornwall Show 2011
Rain did not dampen the enthusiasm of show goers at this year’s Royal Cornwall Show and certainly not to the Rural Development Pavilion. The stand, which brought together all of the Partners involved in delivering the Rural Development Programme for England in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly saw a steady number of visitors and generated a pleasing number of enquiries.
Representatives from Peninsula Enterprise, Natural England, Soils for Profit, Bodmin Moor Livestock Initiative, Country Sports South West and the Local Action Groups came together with the Cornwall Agri-food Council to offer information, advice and guidance on the grants and other forms of support available to farms, food and rural businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
At a busy show, the teams also welcomed the DEFRA Farming Minister, Jim Paice to the stand on the opening Thursday, with a visit from the Official Party of the Royal Cornwall Agricultural Association on Friday.
David Rodda, Rural Delivery Manager for Cornwall Development Company said:
“We are all delighted with the success of the stand; it is always useful to bring together the Partners involved across the RDPE. We saw a steady number of visitors and came away with a number of new enquiries in addition to the opportunity that the show provides to touch base with existing clients. It was great to have Peninsula Enterprise with us on the stand as our key message at this time is to contact them with project ideas as soon as possible. We also urge clients to make the most of the opportunities provided by the commissioned schemes such as Soils for Profit and South West Healthy Livestock Initiative. Having everyone available on the stand worked really well”.
Voluntary Land Registration
Landowners across the South West have reached an important milestone in the registration of their land with over 70% of all land now registered.
The South West initiative is part of a drive by Land Registry – the government department responsible for registering land ownership in Why register?
- There is currently a discount of up to 25% on registration fees
- Protect against encroachment
- Confirm that what you believe you own is actually what you have legal title to
- Simplify land transactions and plan for the future
- Registration is usually a straightforward process which you can undertake yourself or with your solicitor
For more information either visit our website at:
http://www.landregistry.co.uk/register%5Fdev/
or
Sam.Clifford@landregistry.gsi.gov.uk
Alison.Widdicombe@landregistry.gsi.gov.uk
Reducing the Risk of Cornish Farm Fires
Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is teaming up with rural insurance firms Cornish Mutual and NFU Mutual in a bid to cut the number of farm fires in the county, it has been announced today.
A new campaign and partnership has been launched by the organisations to raise awareness of the potential dangers of farm fires and highlight the steps that farmers can take to reduce the risk of fires starting.
New protection legislation for farm buildings has recently been introduced and Cornwall’s arable and dairy farmers, in particular, are being targeted in this latest safety drive.
Fire safety officers will also be visiting 10 arable and dairy farms throughout Cornwall with Cornish Mutual’s Inspectors so they can get a better understanding of the farming sector and develop practical advice aimed at reducing fire risk.
Fire safety legislation applies to all farm buildings where people work. Farmers are required by law, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, to carry out a fire risk assessment of their farm buildings. They must record the findings if they employ five or more people.
Every year Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service crews attend on average 36 farm or agricultural building fires. Most are destroyed by fire, often with the loss of large amounts of stock, straw, hay, farm machinery, chemicals and even livestock.
Latest statistics from Cornish Mutual show that over the last year* they handled over £390,000 worth of claims involving farm fires. Barn fire claims alone came to almost £280,000, whilst tractor fires caused over £43,000 worth of claims to be made.
Mitch Portman, Cornish Mutual’s Area Manager for Cornwall, said: “Farm fires are surprisingly common and there are practical steps that all landowners can take to minimise the risk of fires occurring. It is a good idea for farmers to consider carrying fire extinguishers on all their vehicles – it really makes a difference and this is just one simple measure that people can take.”
He added: “As well as the physical damage, fires can also lead to significant financial losses and huge disruption to businesses. Fires cause more damage to industrial and commercial property than any other hazard and good prevention and insurance cover can provide peace-of-mind.”
Alistair Murdoch, Agent at the Truro branch of NFU Mutual, said: “NFU Mutual regularly deals with claims for farm fires such as tractor and machinery fires which often begin after the first start-up of the season.
“A thorough going over beforehand, and careful examination and close watch for the first few minutes of running can prevent overheating or a short circuit leading to a fire breaking out before the machine has even got in the field.”
Kevin Thomas, Area Manager with Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service, added: “Fires in permanent agricultural buildings currently top our league table. Until now this type of premises has never been proactively regulated and possibly has the greatest impact on Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service in terms of cost, resources and the safety risk to our fire-fighters.”
He added: “In the past, some barn fires tackled by the Service have taken well over 24 hours to deal with. Agricultural fires are often complicated by fertilizers and chemicals which cause toxic or poisonous fumes – this regrettably led to the death of a fire-fighter in 1994.”
As part of the partnership approach, Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service, Cornish Mutual and NFU Mutual have now published an eight-page fire safety advisory booklet for farmers in the Duchy to help them comply with the new fire laws.
The leaflet includes five detailed steps to completing a fire safety risk assessment, information about what to do should a fire break out, dangerous substances, reducing the risk of arson, steps to minimise the risk of fires and a fire safety checklist.
To get hold of a copy of the guide, people are asked to visit Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service’s website www.cornwall.gov.uk, by email enquiries@cornwall.gov.uk or by calling 0300 1234 100.
For more information about Cornish Mutual visit www.cornishmutual.co.uk and for more about NFU Mutual visit www.nfumutual.co.uk.
