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New Blackmore Vale, October 15, 2021
blackmorevale.net
MPs’ round-up
Going local would help ease supply chain problems Many farmers and local suppliers, not just in West Dorset, but across the country, have felt held to ransom by vast supermarkets. For example, some of our farmers have been threatened with having their milk contracts torn up by one supermarket if they refused to sell their calves to that chain. And farmers often must provide their accounts so the supermarket can decide the profit margin the farmer can make with no room whatsoever for negotiation. At the Conservative conference last week, I contributed to the policy debate on the future of English farming where I was able to express my hope that the current supply chain situation we are seeing will change because it is not resilient. I’ve advocated a
MP for West Dorset Chris Loder much more diverse and local supply approach and one that reduces miles-travelled, one that offers more consumer choice and one that is fairer to suppliers and HGV drivers. I believe the supply chain issues we are seeing are because of heavily centralised delivery structures and we now must
grasp this nettle and private sector businesses that have made hundreds of millions in profit should change it rather than blame the government. I argued if lorry drivers were directly employed, had better terms and conditions and facilities, along with fairer prices for the farmers – a more robust local system would result, in better choice and value for the consumer, because I no longer think that that our farmers are in a free-market economy. What I believe has happened to the supply chain network is that huge companies have screwed down a centralised supply chain network and it’s starting to break. I’m a conservative and proud of it, but corporate greed at the expense of supply chain resilience and a free market must be challenged, especially when it harms our
Advertorial Feature
THE EMPORIUM AND THE BOUTIQUE The Emporium and The Boutique in Sturminster Newton are rapidly becoming browsing destinations for shoppers from the local area for good value pre-loved items and quality clothes
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We welcome the clothes and goods you no longer need but which we can turn into money to be spent on the town. Says the Manager Cheryl Basten
Together the two shops are known as the Community Chest and have been supporting the town behind the scenes by paying for the town website, insurance for charitable events and for Bib the Bike, and publicity, but also buying things the public can see, notably the parasols at the seating area, the colourful photos on the windows of the empty former Barclays Bank, troughs for the flowers around town, putting up the town’s small Christmas trees last Christmas and are about to put a defibrillator on the front of The Emporium. Says Cheryl – “nothing is wasted…. What we cannot sell we recycle. So please keep those donations coming in” The Emporium, Market Square, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1AS Tel: 07946 021 374 Email: comcheststur@gmail.com
rural communities and providers. When farmers receive less for their meat or milk, we know that this is not passed on to the consumer. When HGV driving employees are made redundant in favour of a cheap agency staff providers to drive lorries, where does that saving go? The answer is in the record profits that supermarkets like Tesco have announced just recently. Not the farmer, nor the 24/7 truck drivers and that is why we have a problem with the HGV network. I believe the current situation should prompt industry to ensure a more diverse and resilient supply chain and that their suppliers and lorry drivers are fairly treated, and despite what you may have read elsewhere last week, that is what I am contributing to this debate.
