The UK offers little support for organic food and farming compared with its European neighbours, according to a new report from the UK's Soil Association.
In its report, entitled 'The Lazy Man of Europe', the organisation described UK governments as 'diffident, if not lazy' in their support for and investment in organics in comparison with the majority of European countries.
'When it comes to thinking in a truly sustainable way about the future of food and farming, successive UK governments have preferred to sit back and snooze, doing very little to back the organic sector,' it said.
According to the report, the UK saw a drop in sales of organics as a result of the recession, whilst other large markets in Europe did not.
Austria, Denmark, France, Germany and Switzerland, countries where governmental support for organics is strong, all saw the market grow in 2009 despite the recession.
Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, commented: “The Coalition government has pledged ‘to be the greenest government ever’ and the new agriculture minister, Jim Paice, said recently that organic principles lead the way on sustainable farming, and that organic farming should be fostered for this reason. The results of our investigation provide a blueprint for the new government to live up to its pledge, and to move the UK from the bottom of the European league table when it comes to backing organic.”
The Soil Association has offered a list of recommendations for the UK government, including welcoming the organic market as an important growth area for the UK economy.
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