All Change (Chap 1)
Up for GrabsWhere We Are Now
How We Got Here
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You can read the first chapter 'All Change' in Bittersweet Brexit book, here in Issuu
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Brexit may well bring major changes in our food and farm system in UK more than any time since the last war, and maybe 200 years back to the Corn Laws. If we are going to look to the future, we first need to recognise where we are, and how we got here.The main EU policy (certainly most expensive) is their agricultural policy (common;y called CAP) and is decided at EU level. For more, see Coming Out
"British citizens are ill equipped to debate the detail of farming policy. But the signs are that global agribusiness is sweeping into our politics, hoping to grab everything before we notice. It’s time to pay attention." More in openDemocracy
In terms of availability and affordability of food supplies, the five threats are: "lack of regulatory alignment restricting ability to import foods from the EU and beyond, a shortage of agricultural labour in the UK, increased prices of imported foods due to tariffs, damage to supply chains, for example, due to customs delays and loss of interoperability of transportation, and damage to agricultural production and food flows in Ireland".
1. 1/3 of our food comes from the EU frictionlessly across open borders. With 90% of fruit and 45% of vegetables imported, mostly from the EU, this will inevitably be disrupted. Do we grow more ourselves?
2. The 27 000 full-time migrants work in agriculture and 70 000 more in food manufacturing, provides 33% of its total workforce. Another 75 000 work seasonally in horticulture, picking ‘British’ fruit and vegetables. Already many 'are off' - see Labour
3. Coming out of the Customs Union is likely to impose food tariffs which retailers estimate will be an average 22%, thus raising consumer prices. New deals cannot be done overnight, while EU membership already gives the UK access to 750 trade deals across the world. For more see Trade
4. There is a real threat to logistics. With millions of truck journeys transporting food across EU borders each year, checks will increase in numbers and complexity. An increase to 4 min, because of loss of EU paperwork, has been estimated to increase that traffic jams at Dover and Calais to 20 miles long within days. But the Minister expects more logistics hubs
5. There is a threat to food production on the island of Ireland. The agri-food sector on the Ireland of Ireland is highly integrated, with produce often crossing the border between Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic several times during processing. See Irish Border Fudge in 'Coming Out'Food price rises as a result of Brexit
4. There is a real threat to logistics. With millions of truck journeys transporting food across EU borders each year, checks will increase in numbers and complexity. An increase to 4 min, because of loss of EU paperwork, has been estimated to increase that traffic jams at Dover and Calais to 20 miles long within days. But the Minister expects more logistics hubs
5. There is a threat to food production on the island of Ireland. The agri-food sector on the Ireland of Ireland is highly integrated, with produce often crossing the border between Northern Ireland (NI) and the Republic several times during processing. See Irish Border Fudge in 'Coming Out'Food price rises as a result of Brexit
"Theresa May asserted the three tricks she will pull off once this Brexit negotiation is concluded:1. We will have our own trade policy with the rest of the world. 2. We will have frictionless trade with the EU. 3. There will be no physical border with Ireland.To make a metaphor with a fruit basket - which feels strangely appropriate - she wants an apple that tastes like an orange and peels like a banana. "
Full English Brexit
Full English Brexit
2016: cake
2017: fudge
2018: gammon
2019: toast
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