Food Chain Workshop

Regional Gathering, 23 January 2010

Your Food Team in 2010

Owen EspleyCampaign

Coordinator

Kirtana Chandrasekaran

CampaignerKenneth Richter

Biofuels Campaigner

Ollie HayesCampaign Assistant

Helen RimmerCampaigner

Vicki HirdSenior Campaigner

Nick BeuretCampaigner

Sandra BellSenior Campaigner

Interactive Food Chain Quiz!

2009 Campaign SuccessesEDM 845 was signed by 209 / 239 / 259 MPs

35 / 117 / 190 local groups signed up to the campaign during the year

8,656/ 15,444 / 28,875 Fix the food chain postcards signed in total

New Research FindingsAccording to our report Eating the Planet, 50% / 75% / 100% of the world could be fed using free-range farm animal production

Shifting Subsidies£7m / £70m / £700m of UK taxpayers’ money is being used to prop up factory farming each year

Climate ChangeLivestock production is responsible for1% / 18% / 36% of global GHG emissions

Land Grab – the UK’s role

The area of land required to produce the UK soy imports from South America in 2007 was 0.5m / 1.2m / 2m hectares

Demand for Meat & Dairy1bn / 20bn / 60bn animals raised for livestock each year

Resource UseLivestock uses 10% / 70% / 90% of all available agricultural land, and uses 1% / 8% / 15% of the global human water supply.

2009 Campaign Successes

EDM 845 was signed by 259 MPs

117 local groups signed up to the campaign during the year

28,875 Fix the food chain postcards signed in total

New Research FindingsAccording to our report Eating the Planet, 100% of the world could be fed using free-range farm animal production

Shifting Subsidies

£700m of UK taxpayers’ money is being used to prop up factory farming each year

Climate Change

Livestock production is responsible for 18% of global GHG emissions

Land Grab – the UK’s role

The area of land required to produce the UK soy imports from South America in 2007 was 1.2 million hectares

Demand for Meat & Dairy

60bn animals raised for livestock each year

Resource Use

Livestock uses 70% of all availableagricultural land, and uses 8% of the global human water supply.

The Food Chain Campaign 2010 Part 1

Food Chain 2009 – a brilliant start

o117 local groups joined the Food Chain Campaign in 2009

o259 signatures on Early Day Motion 845

oMassive awareness in Westminster

oExtensive media coverage 

The main aims of 2010

o A new law to reduce the environmental impact of meat and dairy production

Start ball rolling via Private Members Ballot - very soon after the general election

Getting support for the Bill oBuild support for the Bill from now until the general election

oExpecting election in early May

oCould happen any time from March…

1. Engaging with candidates 

Contact candidates in your area get them up to speed. You’ll need to send them: 

Political candidate cover letter

‘What’s feeding our food?’ summary.

The number of postcard and email actions the current MP in their constituency has already received

Photos and press clippings.

3 Main Areas of Work

2.Keeping the pressure on MPs

oNew Early Day Motion (EDM 845 has now expired)

oRenewing support now will make MPs’ commitment to our bill stronger

3.Keeping your candidates up-to-speed

oCandidates can’t sign Early Day Motions themselves

oAsk them to support the BillIf elected can then support it in the BallotIf not elected will still have helped raise awareness in the political parties

oImaginative ways to lobby candidatesPhotos of your group with all the cards

Hustings – quizzing the candidates

oFind an existing hustings happening in your area

oFind out if any like-minded community groups would be interested in teaming up to organise one

oArrange your own hustings

Building alliances with Farmers Winning support of farmers is key to the campaign’s success

They’ll be affected more than mostWe need to show that they support our campaign

Much more support for groups to work with farmers

Farmers training on March 6th

Speak to your Network Developer!Guides to help you

What next?All this activism take us to the General Election.

Post-election we’ll be pushing ahead to get our bill tabled and build support for it

Pressure revolving around 2 points

Private Members Ballot Second Reading

 

The Private Members Ballot

Ballot is just after the election - spring into action!

oLobbying the MPs top of the list

oWe’ll support groups to lobby ballot MPs  

Second Reading

oMPs support our Bill in Houses of Parliament

oWe’ll be in touch with activism plans for this period in the spring

oCampaign will begin to tackle the Government on the issue of consumption

Good Luck!!!

 

Farmer project

Aims

• Demonstrate positive impact of our campaign on UK farming

• Convince MPs to support the campaign (especially Tories!)

“A world without roast beef: who wants that except McCartney and Stern?”

Nick Herbert, Shadow Secretary of State

Why should farmers support the campaign?

If we win…• CAP reform will support planet friendly farmers

(including support for struggling upland farmers)• Opportunities for new feed crops• Supermarket watchdog• Research into breeds and alternative feeds• Consumers will choose less but better quality

meat

What support have we got already?

“We have nothing against small scale, low output, farming systems but to suppose this is a model which will feed the world’s growing population is disingenuous. Either Friends of the Earth is looking to use much more of the world’s land area for farming – which really would put wilderness and rainforest at risk – or it imagines that, in some way or other, the world’s population is going to be dramatically smaller.”

NFU’s response to ‘Feeding the Beast’

What you need to do:

• Let your Network Developer know that you’re interested in the project

• Come along to our training day on Saturday 6 March in Birmingham

www.foe.co.uk/community/foodchain

Q&A

What else is happening?

Food Inc.

Get involved with this powerful documentary 

•Out on February 12•Screenings around the country on February 15, that we’ve been specially invited to and there may be opportunities to run stalls•March onwards - put on your own screening?

Supermarkets

Good news! After years of campaigning by Friends of the Earth and our local groups, the Government has finally committed to a supermarket watchdog.  BUT they are still deciding on what the new body look like.

We need to keep pressure on them to establish a watchdog with real teeth. Look out for new actions in Real Food News and online.

Procurement

Every year £2.2 billion is spent on food for the public sector such as in schools and hospitals.  Friends of the Earth is demanding this money is spent on planet-friendly meat and dairy, with less but better meat on public menus.   Look out for latest news in Real Food News and online.

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)

A huge amount of public money goes into factory farming when it could easily be supporting planet friendly farming through the European CAP  

The CAP is going through its biggest reform ever from now up to 2013  We will be working in the UK and Europe to overhaul the CAP so that it supports home grown feeds and extensive farming  

Keep an eye out for our CAP policy position and actions on CAP for this year

GM

A large amount of soy grown in South America and imported to Europe for animal feed is genetically modified  It is responsible for huge increases in pesticide use in South America and is the secret door for entry of GM into Europe.  We will be working to expose the impacts of GM farming and keep Europe’s GM policy strong.  

Schools WorkInterested in visiting a school or youth group to do a session (eg a lesson, assembly or after-school project) on the Food Chain?

For ideas and resources contact:

Youth and Education network education@foe.co.uk

or helen.rimmer@foe.co.uk

Recap on Activism

oContact candidatesoCollect and return postcardsoTalk among your group about farmers project – contact your Network Developer

Thank you and good luck!