Comments on: British Food: Imports, Seasons and Gordon Ramsay http://www.24hourtrading.co.uk/blog/british-food-imports-seasons-and-gordon-ramsay-739/ The greatest blog in the world? By Rob Scott & Linda Haywood. Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:25:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mumsie http://www.24hourtrading.co.uk/blog/british-food-imports-seasons-and-gordon-ramsay-739/comment-page-1/#comment-17574 Mumsie Fri, 09 May 2008 18:45:04 +0000 http://www.24hourtrading.co.uk/blog/british-food-imports-seasons-and-gordon-ramsay-739/#comment-17574 I do so agree with you that Gordon Ramsey, while well meaning, has missed the point of supporting all those growers elsewhere who benefit from our support. We would have no coffee nor tea if we eschewed foreign imports. Where in the UK are coffee or tea grown? Nowhere. Further, by supporting, even if dearer, FairTrade coffee and tea, we help those growers in the so-called Third World to make a reasonable living. Like you, we buy locally - the Farmers Market in nearby Leyburn in particular, the local butcher and milkman who both still deliver locally produced products. A mixed economy is the only viable way forward. And if Tesco's have a new Middlesbrough collection point, then what I have seen of the poverty in the 'borough, nothing could be better. What is needed is Governmental support for UK farmers: a strong voice in Europe to protect our producers, and a committed purchasers' support for locally produced growers, together with as much support for FairTrade as you can manage on your budget. Thank you for your thoughtful, balanced discussion of the points. I do so agree with you that Gordon Ramsey, while well meaning, has missed the point of supporting all those growers elsewhere who benefit from our support.

We would have no coffee nor tea if we eschewed foreign imports. Where in the UK are coffee or tea grown? Nowhere.

Further, by supporting, even if dearer, FairTrade coffee and tea, we help those growers in the so-called Third World to make a reasonable living.

Like you, we buy locally – the Farmers Market in nearby Leyburn in particular, the local butcher and milkman who both still deliver locally produced products.

A mixed economy is the only viable way forward. And if Tesco’s have a new Middlesbrough collection point, then what I have seen of the poverty in the ‘borough, nothing could be better.

What is needed is Governmental support for UK farmers: a strong voice in Europe to protect our producers, and a committed purchasers’ support for locally produced growers, together with as much support for FairTrade as you can manage on your budget.

Thank you for your thoughtful, balanced discussion of the points.

]]>