The urgent need for a supermarket adjudicator was top of the agenda when NFU North Riding and Durham County Chairman, John Oulton, met MP for North West Durham, Pat Glass on Friday (28 October).
Mrs Glass requested the farm visit after meeting NFU members in June, when a delegation of dairy farmers travelled to Westminster to highlight the ongoing problems with dairy contracts and relations with the dairy supply chain.
As a Livestock farmer producing both beef and lamb, John Oulton was able to show Mrs Glass around his Weardale Farm and discuss how supply chain relationships differ across the industry.
Supplying beef into Waitrose, he was keen to highlight good as well as bad practice but stressed the need for rapid progress on establishing a supermarket adjudicator.
“We still do not have a timetable for a Government Bill,” said John, “and it is becoming increasingly urgent.
“We are also pressing for a crucial change in the Government’s thinking on how the Adjudicator would operate – namely to allow investigations to be launched on the strength of issues raised by trade associations such as the NFU.
“Currently the suggestion is that the Adjudicator could only investigate complaints made directly by suppliers but very often suppliers are afraid to complain for fear of losing their contract. This simple but important change could make all the difference and this was a key point we wanted to raise with Mrs Glass.”
Very keen to support her rural constituents and explore ways of encouraging more young people into agriculture, Mrs Glass said she would do everything possible to raise farming issues in the House of Commons.
One possibility discussed was the formation of an all-party group of northern MPs with rural constituencies, who together could help raise the profile of important farming issues.
At the very least, Mrs Glass said she would be keen to meet farmers and their representatives on a regular basis.
Commenting after the meeting Pat Glass said it was a pleasure to meet Mr Oulton and take a tour around his farm.
“It was helpful to discuss the issues facing the local agricultural industry,” she said. “I am keen to support rural constituents, agricultural workers and the local agricultural industry in any way I can and plan to take up many of the points mentioned with ministers in Parliament.
“A key issue was the introduction of a supermarket adjudicator. The Groceries Code Adjudicator was the idea of the previous government and I welcome the fact that it is being taken forward by the current government. However, the huge delays that have beset the project are unacceptable. The government must enact the legislation as early as possible to provide an enhanced framework to protect both supermarket suppliers and consumers.”
No comments have been made.