It’s been an interesting week. On Sunday I went with a group of Irish organic farmers to the UK to see a bunch of British organic farmers, it was a great trip some truly lovely people so open and willing to share. The highlight was a visit to Riverford farm and packing facility, an inspiring operation centred on sustainable food and fairness.
The reality of this fair equitable and sustainable approach to business, one we also have embedded in our own farm and operation here in Galway is the struggle to be profitable. Profitability is an essential facet of any business that wants to survive and reinvest.
I spoke to one farmer who farms over 100 acres of potatoes and carrots, he is lucky he is a Riverford supplier and so has protection from the outside forces of supermarket buyers, but even in this relatively protected environment he struggles.
So how if a farmer like that or like our own farm which gets preferential treatment and pricing and is using all the latest equipment and mechanisation but is trying to farm sustainably cannot make ends meet, what chance does a supermarket farmer supplier have?
This is a serious question, and as long as I have been banging on about it here, there is little real progress being made. The fundamental problem is that fresh food is classed as valueless, it is used as loss leader fodder, something that is used as a ploy to get consumers in the door, and once in, the supermarket machine gets us to spend on ultra processed rubbish that has higher margins. It is wrong.
If we want a fair world, a world where we can eat well, a world where veg producers can continue in business, a world where farmers are rewarded for protecting the environment, paying fairly, and growing chemical free food, then we need to vote with our wallets, it is plain and simple I am afraid.
We have been doing all of the above for 20 years, and this may be the first year where we will not have ended the year further in debt. Ironically it looks very much like our farm again this year will not be profitable, or at the very best at a stretch we may break even. This after the very best growing season we have ever had.
The reality is wages have gone up and up, costs of production have gone up and up, delivery, packaging, all the other stuff Whilst veg prices have not. Sure food inflation is absolutely real and yes the supermarket shop has gone up, but not fresh food, no this has remained relatively static, it’s all the other processed products that have increased in price, hence the decimation of the Irish horticultural industry over the last 20 years.
And here is the other bugbear of mine, we from next week will only have Irish apples on sale, from Richard Galvin in County Waterford, we pay much more than imported for these but will support him over imported, the same as we do for Irish onions from Beechlawn organic farm. (See how many Irish onions and apples you see on supermarket shelves).
I went into a supermarket yesterday and all I saw was imported apples on the shelf. The reason: they are cheaper to buy, we know as we import produce also, we know the pricing and how it works. (We will always grow/buy or support Irish over imported when Irish is available)
So, I would like to say the outlook is hopeful, the future is bright, and God knows we need hope and a positive outlook now more than ever with all the issues in the world.
There was a definite sense of positivity on our trip to the UK earlier this week, hopefully the positive energy will keep flowing.
As always thank you for your support, without it we would definitely have gone by the wayside a long time ago.
Kenneth