Comments on: A great opportunity for British farmers http://www.foodsecurity.ac.uk/blog/index.php/2009/12/a-great-opportunity-for-british-farmers/ Academics, industrialists and farmers give their views on food security Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:28:41 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Hilary http://www.foodsecurity.ac.uk/blog/index.php/2009/12/a-great-opportunity-for-british-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Hilary Mon, 04 Jan 2010 15:16:14 +0000 http://www.foodsecurity.ac.uk/blog/?p=57#comment-33 These are urgent and worrying problems. Science has a huge role to play but we need people that will work with the land and animals to accumulate wisdom and knowledge as well. For too long agriculture has not been seen for many as a career-of-choice. Every one of us eats - even the politicians - should not everyone also have a role to play in food production at some formative part of life? These are urgent and worrying problems. Science has a huge role to play but we need people that will work with the land and animals to accumulate wisdom and knowledge as well. For too long agriculture has not been seen for many as a career-of-choice. Every one of us eats – even the politicians – should not everyone also have a role to play in food production at some formative part of life?

]]> By: Cassandra http://www.foodsecurity.ac.uk/blog/index.php/2009/12/a-great-opportunity-for-british-farmers/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Cassandra Thu, 24 Dec 2009 21:49:10 +0000 http://www.foodsecurity.ac.uk/blog/?p=57#comment-29 Mr Kendall, while I agree wholeheartedly that increased efficiency in farming (or anything else) can only be a good thing, my concern is that research in isolation will have negligible effect on our food security or actions on the ground. While the CAP still sets minimum prices and guarantees purchases, where is the incentive to enact changes that cost more in the short term? Perhaps a long-needed overhaul of the EU's shamefully protectionist stance on domestic agriculture would make efficiency and science a lot more meaningful to farmers and consumers, both in this country, the wider EU, and the world. Mr Kendall, while I agree wholeheartedly that increased efficiency in farming (or anything else) can only be a good thing, my concern is that research in isolation will have negligible effect on our food security or actions on the ground.

While the CAP still sets minimum prices and guarantees purchases, where is the incentive to enact changes that cost more in the short term? Perhaps a long-needed overhaul of the EU’s shamefully protectionist stance on domestic agriculture would make efficiency and science a lot more meaningful to farmers and consumers, both in this country, the wider EU, and the world.

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