Farmers To Launch The UK’s First Universal Food Traceability Scheme

To Coincide with the 15th anniversary of the Foot and Mouth Crisis on 19 February

Devised by Gloucestershire farmers with widespread support from across the food industry, Happerley Passports empowers farmers to control provenance at the point of production and consumers to instantly unlock the whole provenance story of their food with one unique traceability code.

When www.happerley.co.uk goes live on 19 February (the 15 year anniversary of the Foot and Mouth Crisis) every UK primary food producer will be invited to create a free Producer Passport and profile and invite all intermediaries and retailers whom they trade with into a visible supply chain to create one network.

Producers are then able to generate a unique traceability code online for every food batch leaving their holding. The codes are validated through the food chain by participating intermediaries and retailers.

By validating the produce at every link in the food chain into one code accessed online or by QR scan at the point of sale, it will reduce food fraud, reconnect consumers with farmers and validate local and production claims and premiums. Those supporting the scheme believe it is vital to maintaining a sustainable and transparent UK farming industry, independent of retail and processor pressure.

Happerley co-founders, farmers Matthew Rymer and Clifford Freeman, conceived the concept to provide the full story of the provenance behind each cut of Pedigree Gloucester Beef they sold. After a piece on BBC Countryfile, they attracted support from fellow farmers, local butchers and consumers and were encouraged to broaden the scheme. Two years later, following a significant investment in software and a collaboration agreement with The University of Aberdeen, they and many others believe they are on course to transform trust and honesty in the food industry for the benefit of all.

ENDS 

1. Please read our online media briefing published today

‘The Need To Connect The Consumer To the Producer’

View at http://happerley.co.uk/media/briefing-2016-feb-03.pdf

This attains a mass of evidence and insights into our food industry we have collected that may shock and disturb consumers and producers alike, explaining why.

2. Foot & Mouth

The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2001 caused a crisis in British agriculture and tourism. Over 10 million sheep and cattle were slaughtered and public rights of way across land were closed by order. Sporting events including Cheltenham Festival were cancelled. By the time that the disease was halted in October 2001, the crisis was estimated to have cost the United Kingdom £8 billion.

The first case of the disease to be detected was at Cheale Meats abattoir in Little Warley, Essex on 19 February 2001. On 21 February, the European Union imposed a worldwide ban on all British exports of livestock, meat and animal products.

In response, the Government published its 'Report of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food’ in January 2002. It stated: 'The first question we set ourselves is how we can make farming and food production profitable again, by reconnecting it with the rest of the food chain and with consumers.'

Happerley suggests this question remains unanswered.

3. Broadcast and Interview Opportunities

Both Clifford Freeman and Matthew Rymer are keen to participate in any of the above. A sample of supporters can be arranged on one of their farms for the 19 February 2016.

4. Founder and Quotes from a Selection of our Supporters.

i. Founder Matthew Rymer – industry and consumers still being sold short

“Fifteen years after Foot and Mouth, the British farmer and consumer continues to be sold short by food processors, manufacturers and retailers working together to disguise and mislead on provenance and collectively collude in driving down farmgate prices. Producer margins are now squeezed to the point where we see most sectors losing money in the face of anonymous meat and dairy imports.

“Until there is upfront consumer facing traceability on food packaging, on fresh meat counters and on menus to connect producers to the consumer, and empower the consumer to make considered choices, the future is as bleak as ever.

“Meanwhile, report after report underlines that the consumer WANTS to support a sustainable farming industry and to know the truth about the food they eat but are blind sided by mislabelling and half truths, playing on the support there is for our farm industry, to sustain national retail and processor margins.

“Britain’s ability to feed itself has fallen dramatically in recent decades, with self-sufficiency dropping from 78% to 60% in the past 30 years. The population is due to rise to 75 million in just 20 years and we have an industry that is hollowing out due to consumer disconnect and retail control.”

ii. Professor Pete Edwards, Chair in Computer Science and lead on the collaboration with The University of Aberdeen –DEFRA needs to be more transparent

 “There are a plethora of assurance schemes out there, but until now no transparent universal traceability scheme connecting the consumer to the actual farm of orgin. Provenance begins with the primary produce and it is right this should be producer led. Most of the data Happerley will gather is already held within DEFRA. Happerley simply turns this inside out for the benefit of everyone. Although a voluntary scheme, it is hoped that the Government will support it by opening up some of these datasets to Happerley.”

iii. Ian Bell OBE, Chief Executive, Addington Fund

“When low commodity prices across all sectors of the farming industry fail to meet the cost of production, the challenge is one of survival. Every week we receive calls from farmers who are, despite working long hours and spending little on their own families, desperately in need of help. Happerley will help level the playing field which is currently leaning towards low cost imports - with lower animal welfare and less environmental care.”

iv. Mark Harper, Member of Parliament for the Forest of Dean

"I applaud what Clifford and Matthew are doing. As Clifford farms in my constituency I was delighted to attend the launch of their Gloucester Beef. They then spoke to a packed pub of local farmers about their ambition to eventually provide a traceability system to support the wider agricultural industry, free for producers. A year on, they appear to be on course to do exactly that."

v. Howard Venters, Farming Publisher and Journalist

“I believe every one has a right to know where their food is from. The industry knows, why not the consumer? Happerley is a simple and actually rather obvious concept that could and should make the UK food industry the world’s most honest and respected

vi. Toby Howes, Gloucestershire Butcher

"Over 50% of meat catering butchers supply to restaurants and food service will be foreign. Lithuanian or Polish chicken, Australian or South American beef, pork from Denmark, Germany, lamb from New Zealand etc. It gets even more cloudy with processed meats. For example, the Danish pork industry have bought up nearly every processing plant in the UK so their processed pork can be labelled as British.

“The point is this is not necessarily wrong but the consumer has no idea and is generally misled… when do you ever see a menu explaining the meat is foreign?."

vii. Will Carvalho, Performance Chef, Gloucester Rugby

"Our players are athletes and I need to know EXACTLY what we are feeding them. This is nearly impossible without considerable homework and effort on my side. A producer network I can access and a traceablity scheme I can have confidence will be transformational."

viii. Jilly Greed, Co-Founder at Ladies in Beef

"Ladies in Beef are pleased to support this initiative. The independent hospitality and fast food sectors are two areas where transparent honest labelling in the supply chain including product origin, could make a huge difference in combating food fraud and misleading consumers. You only have to look back to 'horsegate' two years ago, to see how easily untraceable horse meat from Europe was substituted for beef in cheap ready meals and fast food outlets, with the British consumer none the wiser until DNA tests were performed revealing a shocking scale of food fraud and an extended supply chain where horsemeat was moved around the continent in the pursuit of profit."

ix. Ben Creese, Independent Catering Butcher

"Until meat traceability can be universally audited by the consumer, all the intermediaries in the food chain are going to veer towards cost more than provenance. If Happerley can create a level playing field it will be a game changer."

x.Vanessa and Dan Powell, Cotswold farmers

"If consumers stop just for a minute and see the choice between a Happerley certified leg of lamb, where they KNOW they can check on the whole life story of that meat, from birth to plate, then we believe that consumer might just be a little less tempted to buy anonymous New Zealand."

xi. Libby Henson, Director, Grassroots

"We support pedigree livestock farmers who need their products to be properly labelled and understood. We at Grassroots work with over 100 pedigree breed societies, enabling farmers to record their animal's parentage and develop their breeding programmes. Happerley will help those farmers to promote and conserve the special characteristics and produce from their breeds.”

xii. Tom Tanner, Sustainable Restaurant Association

“Food has a story to tell and for anyone who gives a fork about where their food is from and how it’s produced, and all our research tells us that number is increasing all the time, Happerley is a great vehicle for telling the story of food from field to fork”

xiii. Jenni Hobson, Gloucestershire Farmer

"To protect the food chain from fraud and create a sustainable local model for British Agriculture - transparent, truthful, quality, trustful, integrity are all words that we need to describe this great industry. We have travelled far too far away from good, quality local produce and this is a great initiative to drive it back to where it shouldn't have left!"

xiv. Tom Beeston, Chief Executive, Rare Breeds Survival Trust

"In order to trust your food, you have to know your Farmer, that's why Happerley is such a great concept."

xv. Will Bennett, Director, Dairy Partners Limited, Gloucestershire and Camarthenshire

"We support Happerley and look forward to working with its producers. UK dairy farmers are struggling like no other sector at the moment. As processors for some of them, the more of the story we can convey through the food chain and to the consumer, the better the premium we can deliver to the producer. UK consumers need to understand that what is left of UK dairying is a vital cornerstone of the rural economy and essential to maintaining a landscape hardly suited to any other type of farming.”

xvi. Charles Martell, Charles Martell & Sons - cheesemakers

"Consumers want a lot more honesty and transparency than they currently get. The truth of any food starts on a farm and that is where it needs to be managed. Not in the supermarkets."

xvii. Ben Morton, Butcher, Gloucestershire

“I had to close my retail butchers because I could not support local farmers and compete with the price and quantity of misrepresented meat out there. I am now working with local farmers to provide private butchery and help them become masters of their own provenance.”

Please visit our news room for more information or call Sophie Smith on 01242 222878:

http://news.cision.com/happerley-passports 

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