Chicken..it's a basket case!

Posted by Ian Brown on February 8, 2008 9:45 AM | Permalink

Well after all the television we have the announcement today of the Tesco £1.99 roast whole chicken minus its soul and giblets no doubt!

I have a family of six and understand the dynamics of household budget but we in the UK are putting a huge chunk of the market into an industrialised, low prices category - despite the consequences which will involve more than damaging our collective health and well being.

I am writing this blog on the first train out of London following an all day meeting yesterday with the national leads on rural for the regional development agencies and Defra.....frankly I'm concerned!

Farming and food is politically being overtaken by environmental concerns which are right but economic is as linked with social as it is the environment - especially as you head for the uplands of this region.

Getting help to those that need it in a downturn while speeding the success of those who can make it by themselves is an issue for many people in my position around the various agencies of the state. What is abundantly clear is that funding is tight and will get worse before it gets better but that should not lead to despondancy, indeed it should drive our resolve onwards and upwards.

Back to the crazy chicken - if you want livestock sculpted hills but will not pay the price of £100/sheep required than we need to start with a system that looks at a new way of keeping body and soul together for those land managers. Without speedy intervention we will wake up with the world here in the north east being less diverse than it has ever been.

Ian