Faceless scarecrows in anti-supermarket Westminster stunt

An installation comprising 49 faceless scarecrows has been set up outside the Houses of Parliament in protest at the poor treatment of fruit and vegetable growers by supermarkets and their buyers.

The stunt has been organised by Riverford Organics as part of its #GetFairAboutFarming campaign, and the 49 scarecrows represent the 49% of growers who said they are likely to go out of business in the next 12 months, according to a survey conducted last summer.

See also: Horticulture under threat as production costs continue to rise

The “demonstration” comes just ahead of a parliamentary debate scheduled for Monday afternoon (22 January) on possible reforms to the grocery supply chain – a debate that was triggered by almost 113,000 people signing a petition demanding fairer treatment for growers.

The campaign is calling on the government to amend the Grocery Supply Code of Practice to require retailers to “buy what they agreed to buy, pay what they agreed to pay, and pay on time”.

Founder of Riverford Organics Guy Singh-Watson sent an open letter to the heads of the “big six” food retailers last September, demanding long-term co-operation and fairer treatment in order to enhance food security. He received no reply.

Guy Singh-Watson © Frank PR

Fear factor

A Riverford statement ahead of the debate said current government policies failed to provide adequate support for farmers and were rarely enforced, while most farmers were too afraid to speak out against supermarkets for fear of reprisals.

Mr Singh-Watson said: “The current laws in place to protect farmers against the too often unfair and abusive behaviour of supermarkets and their suppliers are woefully inadequate.

“The silence from the ‘big six’ supermarkets amid the noise of the #GetFairAboutFarming campaign truly speaks volumes on how much they value the farmers who keep their shelves stocked and pockets lined all year round.”

William White, campaign co-ordinator at food and farming alliance Sustain, said only strong regulation would ensure farmers get a fair deal for the food they produce.

“Our research shows farmers often get less than 1p of the profit on their produce. These farms are the backbone of rural communities, custodians of our national heritage. But they are threatened with closure,” he said.