News

Archbishop of Canterbury pays tribute to farmers

The Archbishop of Canterbury has paid tribute the work done by farmers for the UK’s wellbeing, environment and economy – and for feeding the nation.

Speaking in the run-up to Christmas, Justin Welby said the coronavirus pandemic had reminded people that farmers were key workers. For society to flourish, it was vital to support farmers – and rural communities and parishes, he said.

Mr Welby made the comments to more than 100 invited guests as he delivered the annual NFU Henry Plumb lecture last month in London. The lecture is named in honour of Lord Plumb, who served as NFU president from 1970 to 1978.

As well as producing affordable and nutritious food, farmers had a key role to play in supporting rural communities, said Mr Welby. In return, people could support farmers by eating locally and seasonally, he suggested.

Food standards

The archbishop also discussed the role of the church in supporting rural communities. There was a need to educate people about food and farming he suggested – and for more food served in schools to be British-sourced.

On food standards and trade, Mr Welby said: “Our farming communities can lead the way on food standards, animal welfare, trade and exports that make people’s lives better and more prosperous around the world.”

Highlighting the opportunity to increase exports of British food and drink, the archbishop said the farming community had a unique opportunity to be at the heart of building rela-

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby says farming must flourish

tionships overseas.

“Making the most of the overseas market post-Brexit is crucial. We need to get our trade deals right to protect the world-class British standards of farming – bad deals risk exporting environmental and animal welfare harms and destroying farmers livelihoods.

Our farming communities can lead the way

The government needed to partner with farmers to build global ambition and increase the British food brand identity globally, said Mr Welby. British farming could become a global leader in sustainable, climate-friendly, high standard food production.

“Now is the time to harness these challenges, from the local to the global level, and transform them into opportunities. We can put down firm roots in values and communities, and those roots enable us to be resilient and flexible when any storms come.”

Strong roots would help farmers be ambitious and innovative. “That way we can ensure we fulfil our potential and flourish together, as the farming industry cares for our wellbeing, our environment and our economy for many years to come.”

MPs launch study into rural mental health

An influential group of MPs is investigating ways to improve rural mental health – and is inviting farmers to have their say.

The inquiry by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee wants to identify the mental health challenges faced by people in the countryside – and highlight ways to resolve them.

Committee chairman Neil Parish said: “Mental health matters to us all. But for some people working in rural communities there are special factors that are often hidden in a world that sometimes feels like it is driven by those in towns and cities.

“I’m a farmer myself and I know how people in our communities can sometimes suffer from isolation. That’s not to mention how insecure incomes, volatile weather and many other issues can be real stress factors.”

Urging other farmers and interested parties to take part in the inquiry, Mr Parish said the committee would recommend ways the government could improve mental health provision in the countryside.

The Farm Safety Foundation reports that that one farmer a week in the UK dies by suicide, while research by Edinburgh University has shown that the rate of suicide in the veterinary profession is at least three times that of the general population.

Some 81% of farmers under 40 believe mental health is the biggest hidden problem facing farmers today. Furthermore, 92% believe that promoting good mental health is “crucial” if lives are to be saved and farmers kept safe. To help the inquiry, please visit www.bit.ly/ruralMPs

World’s biggest vertical farm built in Norfolk

• Plan to grow leaf salad and herbs • Fully automated enclosed system • Equivalent to 400ha land outside

A£25m proposal to build the world’s largest vertical farm has been unveiled for the outskirts of Norwich.

The plan was launched by green energy expert Tristan Fischer, chief executive of Fischer Farms. He says it will blaze a trail for scalable and more sustainable food production at the Food Enterprise Park, Easton.

Fischer Farms already has one of the UK’s largest vertical farm operations in Lichfield. It grows a range of short leaf products via a stacked, biosecure, climate-controlled and fully automated system.

The vertical farm will create 25,000m of growing space – enough to supply 6.5t daily of leaf salad, including rocket and lettuce etc, leafy herbs and other fresh produce to UK supermarkets.

Financial backing

Fischer Farms has backing for the new Norfolk site from Gresham House – an asset management company specialising in investments which have a sustainable, positive impact.

Mr Fischer said the farm would employ, train and upskill the labour force. He added: “Fischer Farms is revolutionary, the future of farming, fresh food production and food supply chains in this country.

“Our plans use the very latest vertical farming innovations, pioneering technology and 100% renewable energy to enable us to farm more responsibly, sustainably and more productively in order to feed a growing population.”

Crops will be grown without using pesticides, herbicides or insecticides. vertical farm enables. “As our production process is strictly controlled, we will also be able to guarantee a consistently higher quality, fresher tasting end product.”

More productive

Mr Fischer said: “Vertical farming enables us to be much more productive using less space. We can grow the same amount of food in our four acre building that you would take 1,000 acres of conventional British farmland.

“Our produce will be grown locally in the UK; it will stay fresher for longer with no need to rinse; there are no traceability issues and we will slash food miles with our shorter ‘farm to fork’ times.”

“The volumes grown locally also mean we can produce food at price points comparable to field-grown crops and provide retailers with greater reliability of supply throughout the year, reducing reliance on food imports and creating potential for more local jobs.”

Fischer Farms uses data analytics tools to optimise its fully automated growing, harvesting and reseeding systems. It uses energy-efficient LED lighting which allows the lights to be very close to the tops of plants due to their low heat production.

This enables crops to be grown in tightly stacked layers. There is no impact on the surrounding countryside from topsoil erosion or chemical runoff associated with traditional farms while the solar-powered facilities ensure a low carbon footprint.

Green credentials

Over the next 10-15 years, Fischer Farms plans to scale up its operation and reduce its cost base to enable it to grow soya beans, rice and wheat in significant volumes and at price points that compare favourably to global commodity prices.

Mr Fischer added: “Food supply chains and our planet are both under enormous strain.

“The Fischer Farms vision is to change the world by working with nature 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to produce the freshest, safest and highest quality British-grown produce all year round in the most environmentally sustainable way.”

The vertical farm will create 25,000m of growing space

Who is Tristan Fischer?

Fischer Farms founder Tristan Fischer has a number of agritech interests – including companies using innovative food production methods.

The include the land-based salmon and shrimp companies FishFrom and Great British Prawns – both of which use recirculating aquaculture systems to produce food in highly controlled closed environments.

Mr Fisher was previously chairman and chief executive of Lumicity, which developed over £145m of infrastructure assets in the UK agricultural sector – including solar projects and 179 biomass package plant rooms worth £25m for the poultry sector.

He has been involved in a number of clean energy infrastructure projects for more than 20 years in a career that combines large companies such as Citigroup and Shell with SMEs such as Camco – which he listed on AIM, increasing shareholder value by six times.