The Farmers Mart Jun/Jul 2014 - Issue 34

FARM NEWS Organic suppliers look to China for exports As organic demand grows in China,the UK Soil Association Certification (SAC) has teamed up with its Chinese counterparts to make it cheaper and simpler for UK suppliers to export. The Chinese market for organic products is estimated to be worth $7.8bn (£4.6bn) by 2015, according to BioFach China. In 2013 the SAC recorded a 6% growth for its certified UK businesses, which hope to start exporting to China. The SAC will work in collaboration with China’s Organic Food Development Centre (OFDC) as part of its export support programme which, supported by Defra, aims to open up new opportunities for its certified businesses through working with international governments, trade associations and export agencies around the world. Xingji Xiao, director of OFDC in Beijing, said: “We think the partnership is good and very important for our collaboration and can help us promote our mutual organic programme.” Emma Yeats, senior certification officer, Soil Association Certification, said: “This new partnership comes at a time where there is positive growth in both the UK and Chinese organic markets and exports of UK organic produce to China can really flourish. Working with OFDC will make the process of certification for our UK licensees wanting to export to China both efficient and cost-effective. We are delighted with this partnership, which helps develop an important export opportunity.” Brindon Addy extension provides boost to business J Brindon Addy’s butcher’s – which has featured in The Farmers Mart - has invested in a £160,000 extension, which has doubled its retail area and improved business. The project was carried out on the shop, in Hade Edge, near Holmfirth in West Yorkshire, during its 21st anniversary year. Brindon Addy, who has been in the industry since he took a Saturday job at the local butcher’s shop at the tender age of 11, said the new extension had been well received. He added: “Business is running above the budget we predicted and one thing’s YORKSHIRE BUTCHER WINS ‘RURAL OSCAR’ AWARD Family butcher H Weatherhead & Sons from Pateley Bridge has won the butchers’ category at the 2013 Countryside Alliance Awards, presented recently at the Houses of Parliament. The Countryside Alliance Awards - the “Rural Oscars” 24 Jun/Jul 2014 FarmersMart - are some of the most prestigious awards in the industry and this year were presented by the Secretary of State for Defra, Owen Paterson MP. Other northern firms to feature included Highly commended for the Blagdon Farm Shop for certain – we have now changed from being a small butcher to a small food hall.” The project has meant that Addy’s has been able to extend its displays and showcase its meat products and homemade ready meals more effectively. It has also been able to introduce other food lines, such as fish, vegetables and ice creams. “As a direct result, we are now supporting more local suppliers and producers, which provides a timely boost to the local economy,” added Brindon. The butcher is the national chairman of the Q Guild, which represents 120 quality butchers around the UK. Pictured at the Countryside Alliance Awards are, from left, executive chairman Sir Barney White-Spunner, H Weatherhead & Sons Andrew Weatherhead, Secretary of State for Defra Owen Paterson MP, Sally and Molly Weatherhead, and MP for Skipton & Ripon Julian Smith. from Tyne & Wear and also for Dounby Butcher in Orkney. A special Clarissa Dickson Wright award created this year to reward strong animal husbandry support, slow and artisan food and protecting farming heritage, was won by Peter and Christine Gott, who run Sillfield Farm in Gatebeck in the Lake District, and sell meat from wild boar, rare-breed pigs, Herdwick sheep and rare-breed poultry. To read more, visit www.farmers-mart.co.uk

The Farmers Mart Jun/Jul 2014 - Issue 34 | Page 24