Don't call me a commitmentphobe

I have always been known as a commitmentphobe. Relationships that tentatively reach date number 4 or 5 are quickly ended as soon as anyone dare mention the word 'girlfriend'. Heaven forbid someone asks me to commit solidly to plans for a party or dinner outing more than 2 days in the future. The worst telephone conversation I've ever had was my best friend asking me to be her Bridesmaid and commit a whole weekend to her happy day over a year in advance. I don't know why this all is, maybe I'm fickel, maybe I suffer from major FOMO. But I want to tell you that today I committed.

I have spent today digging and composting flower beds, planting summer bulbs and seeds. I have also made a windowsill nursery to help saad plants begin life gently. To some gardening is not a big deal. But I have black thumbs and tend to avoid trowels and rakes. I have lived in my flat with its garden for 18 months and have never touched the flower beds until today. This is the longest I have lived in one place since leaving home and by planting the flowerbeds today I have committed to the flat for the forseeable future. By creating an indoor nursery I have committed to the seeds for the next few months. Today I have committed a big chuck of my life!

More than that, I feel like I have wooed London planting flowers intended to attract insects, birds and bees. I have added plants to the ecosystem which through photosynthesis will produce more oxygen. I'm aware it is a tiny effort that noone but me (and hopefully my upstairs neighbours) will notice. But today I committed to something.

The grand Tesco apology

Tesco.com

Dear Customer, Following my last email to you explaining what we are doing to review how we source our food and sharing the progress we are making on our testing programme, today I am announcing some new commitments. I know that the discovery of Philip Clarke, Group Chief Executive, Tesco plc horsemeat in products sold in several major retailers, including Tesco, has shaken your trust in food retailers and the products we sell. You've told us that you want to buy British. And that the journey from farm to fork should be far less complicated. I've listened to what you have said and we're making some real and lasting changes. Today I make you a promise. Tesco is going to bring the food we sell closer to home. We're going to make how we source our food simpler, more transparent and shorter, and we will build better relationships with our nation's farmers. We are the UK's biggest retailer, the biggest customer of UK agriculture and I firmly believe that we should be the best supporter of British farmers. Already, all of our beef – fresh, frozen and in ready meals – comes from the UK and the Republic of Ireland. So, we have made a start. But events over the past month have reinforced my conviction that we need to move faster and try harder. As a first step, today I am announcing that from July all of our fresh chickens will come from UK farms. No exceptions. We will also move, over time, to ensure that all the chicken in all of our products - fresh and frozen – is from the British Isles. We are building on our partnerships with farmers so everyone gets a fair deal. It's the right thing to do for British agriculture and for you, our customer. I can assure you that everyone at Tesco is committed to ensuring our entire product range offers the highest quality. This applies as much to our Everyday Value range as to our Finest range. We know that, no matter what you spend, everyone deserves to eat well. Whatever a customer is able to afford, there can be no compromise - what's on the pack (and only what's on the pack) is what will be in the product. Everyone in the food industry has a big job ahead to win back your trust. But I am determined to lead the way, by changing the way Tesco sources food for the better. The commitments I am making are genuine, and I expect to be held to account for them. That's why we are also establishing an independent panel to improve the way the supply chain works in practice. So, in summary We'll put in place better controls We'll bring food closer to home We'll build better relationships with our farmers We'll create more transparency Here's the link to a new website that we are launching today, to keep you informed on our progress. Over time, it will allow you to see where the food you are eating comes from, how it was produced and who produced it. I am clear it is time to do things differently. As the market leader in the UK, it is our responsibility to lead and it's what you, our customer expect of us. Thank you, Philip Clarke 0800 505 555

The death of the smallholding?

A report published by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors at the end of January, tells us that farmland prices reached a record high in H2 2012. Prices have steadily grown since 2009 and are predicted to continue to do so. This is a very different story to the residential housing market which has experienced decline since 2009 with predictions that a further dip in the market will preceed any chance of growth this year.

So why is farmland holding its value while residential land isn't? The report explains that the price hikes are being driven by demand from large scale commercial farmers looking to expand their land and cash in on the rising (although volatile) agri commodity prices. As a result, the amount of available land is diminishing thus driving up prices. No surprises there - basic economics. What is surprising is the difference in land pricing between farmland with residential components and without.

Farmland with a higher residential component is increasingly available and achieving much lower prices. But I don't think the lower price is solely related to availability. A small plot of land with a residential component is a smallholding. In theory the press would lead us to believe that food is relocalising, that there is a shift towards locally grown, artisanal foods and the future of food is small. In theory this should also mean that smallholdings are en vogue. So why the increasing availability and declining prices?

It could simply be that making a living from a smallholding is difficult. It is bloody difficult. Smallholder magazine offers some advice mainly centred aroudn try to find a premium market to sell into or continue working a full time job to make a living which effectively makes a smallholding a hobby. Except, running a smallholding is anything but a hobby. It takes a lot of time, energy and money and should be a livelihood. Farming has historically always been a means of a livelihood. When did that stop?

Alternatively, the so-called market trends towards local foods are incorrect. Consumers respond to labels like 'Organic' or 'Fairtrade' without fully understanding what these labels mean. A friend recently shared this chart with me on Facebook as if he was uncovering some mass conspiracy when in fact all it is showing is leading food companies buying into the 'organic' trend (whatever that may mean).  Similarly, sharing this article on Whole Foods' disregard for labour laws was responded to in shock and disbelief. People think Organic means artisan, local, anti-corporation when actually it just refers to the growing techniques applied to the ingredients used. Also, Fairtrade only applies to products sourced internationally as UK workers are (supposedly) protected by EU labour laws. So actually, any consumer 'trend' towards organic, fairtrade, local, healthy foods is actually a trend in perceived organic, local, fairtrade, healthy foods. It means very little for the smallholder unless consumers bother to shop at farmers markets where they can buy directly from smallholders - that can make a difference (Londoners, I urge you to check out CCFM and LFM)

Or it could be a labour shortage. It has been well reported that there are concerns for the next generation of farming. Not enough young people are turning towards a life on the land. New reality tv shows like First Time Farmers and campaigns led by the NFU and Farmers Weekly are fighting to encourage young people to consider agriculture over sitting behind a computer for a living. But when it is so difficult to live off a smallholding, you can't blame people for not making it their first choice.

How can we change this status quo? First of all, make it easier for smallholdings to reach the market. Supermarkets need large scaled regular contracts which are difficult for smallholdings to fulfill. Instead, lets promote farmers markets where consumers buy direct from farmers, SMEs sourcing from each other and  restaurants matching their menu to available food not vice versa. Second, we need to rethink food. So long as food crops are commodities and traded as such, large-scale agriculture will continue to dominate. But we are still facing problems of availability of certain crops. Speaking to a large beer company recently, I heard that as Barley (a vital ingredient for lager) is not a commodity crop, UK farmers are moving away from growing it substituting it for wheat or corn instead where they can get a much higher price. And you can't blame them, they are running a business too. Barclays have bravely made the first move by halting speculative trading on agri-crops using hedge fund money. But this cute sentiment wont fix the problem alone.

Unless a monumental change in the food system occurs, we run the risk of diminshing smallholdings to a hobby. They used to be integral to society, the food system and to community. They are still an integral part of my Saturday morning farmers market routine. Let the land prices be a warning that leads to significant change, not another story lost in industry press.