This report is my own personal response to the conference held by Farmers World Network on Saturday 27 November 1999 at Stoneleigh. I would not wish to embarrass the organisers by claiming any other authority for it.

The first speaker was Professor Jules Pretty, author. He spoke of the multi-functionality of farming, pointing out that it produces many externalities, some beneficial others detrimental, but that the financial reward for farmers was mainly tied in to the externality of food, fibre etc. Other positive externalities include things like landscape, biodiversity, clean water supplies, reverse migration (i.e. jobs in rural areas), carbon sequestration. Negative externalities could include destruction of landscape, pollution, etc etc.

His suggestions included that for all industry there should be cash values attributed to the externalities, and this would be a basis to justify and distribute subsidies. Farmers can't simply say that they must have subsidies to survive. They need to the justifying those subsidies because of the (financially assessable) benefits that they provide for society.

He spoke about the need to go beyond cosmetic changes but the need to ensure sustainability by internalising the externalities. Speaking of the changes which have taken place in agriculture, and looking to the future, he pointed out that a stable world population is anticipated by the year 2100,and that in a number of countries the birth rate is already less than the replacement rate.
At the moment only 3 countries have policies for sustainable agriculture, Austria, Switzerland & Cuba. Some states within countries also have such policies, but there needs to be an increase

2nd speaker Derrick Wilkinson, senior economist with the NFU spoke about the situation in the context of global markets and the European Union.
The pressures facing UK farmers include

• to reduce costs & be more competitive
• concentration of industry upstream & downstream (fewer suppliers & outlets)
• pressures from consumers (animal welfare issues, pollution)
• increasing instability in world markets

EMU, Agenda 2000, WTO and expansion of EU to the east will all produce changes.
Changing policy priorities have resulted in different approaches over the last 50 years.

He suggested that there are various pressures.

leading to

leading to

leading to

His suggestions for ways forward included

• greater collaboration between farmers in dealing with suppliers & abattoirs/retailers.
• use of IT in precision farming & consider GMOs
• diversification of income

Whilst there will always be a need for "ordinary" food (for which World Prices will always be an issue) there is a growing market for high quality "specialty" foods for which people will pay a premium. A niche market which is growing and looks set to continue to do so.

3rd speaker was Angelina Briones from the University of the Philipines spoke of the strategies adopted to survive by Philipino farmers.

Agriculture continues to be a major factor in the Philipines but progress is a struggle. Most farmers have a functional literacy level of about 11/12 year olds.
The major successes had been seen when producers had banded together into People Organisations working with Non-Governmental Organisations and Church Based Organisations to bring about change.
Major issues had included

• broadening the perspectives beyond farming (e.g. to include marketing)
• advocating agrarian reform
• building strong POs for advocacy work
• education
• developing financial packages
• incorporating into the mainstream things that work as trials

One of the significant findings of studies is that it is poverty that causes malnutrion, not lack of food. There must be the means to purchase the food produced.

After lunch Andy Welford, a Cleveland dairy farmer spoke of his farm and their strategies to ensure financial viability.
A largely self sufficient operation he spoke of the problems of a consistently falling milk price (25p per litre in 95, 18p in 99 and forecast to be 17p or 16p in 2000)
His strategies included

1. Co-operation with other farmers
2. Adding value
3. Direct marketing of meat
4. self sufficiency
5. organic farming (they had done some, not a lot!)
6. using family labour
7. off farm income
8. environmental work
9. expansion

Workshops in the afternoon invited delegates to consider what steps ought to be done
Wide ranging discussions included many suggestions ,

• trying to reduce world production
• developing relationships between producers & consumers
• labeling & marketing
• co-operation between farmers
• wanting to have influence with WTO

Robert Barlow, Rural Officer Peterborough Diocese

Send mail to robert.barlow@zetnet.co.uk with questions or comments about this web site.