Scarecrows ‘protest’ outside Parliament as MPs debate supermarkets’ treatment of farmers in House of Commons

The 49 scarecrows standing outside Parliament represent the 49% of fruit and vegetable farmers who say it’s likely they will go out of business in the next 12 months, with many blaming supermarkets and their buyers as a leading threat to their livelihoods, according to research by organic veg box company, Riverford.

The scarecrows, a familiar symbol of the British farming landscape, stand amidst British-grown produce and are also faceless to represent the anonymity of the farmers behind the statistics – most of whom are too afraid to speak out against supermarkets for fear of reprisals.

Over 110,000 people have signed Riverford’s #GetFairAboutFarming petition, which is pressing the government to overhaul the Grocery Supply Code of Practice [GSCOP], as 69% of fruit and veg farmers say tougher regulations are needed to redress the imbalance of power.

Ahead of the 4.30pm parliamentary debate today, Riverford and its supporters are calling for enforceable regulations that ensure supermarkets adhere to fair purchasing agreements, including honouring agreed quantities, prices and payment schedules.

Current government policies in place to protect farmers from supermarket buying behaviour fail to provide adequate support for farmers and are rarely enforced, says Riverford.

It urges the government to change the laws to better protect farmers by requiring retailers to:

- buy what they agreed to buy

- pay what they agreed to pay

- pay on time, without exception

Riverford’s research also revealed over half (54%) of horticultural farmers believe farming sits on the bottom of the government’s list of priorities. This is the major concern for British farmers and sits above fears around future government support (28%) and crops failing due to weather extremes (29%).

Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford Organic, said: “British agriculture is on its knees the livelihoods of our farmers are being laid to waste. Our 49 scarecrows outside Parliament illustrate the 49% of farmers on the brink of leaving our industry, and I hope this hammers home to those in power the sheer scale of the problem and the urgent need for change.

“The current laws in place to protect farmers against the too often unfair and abusive behaviour of supermarkets and their suppliers are woefully inadequate. Without fairer treatment for farmers, the reality is the destruction of British farming along with the landscape, wildlife and rural communities it once supported.

“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. For farmers, the clock is ticking. We urge the Government to take action now to safeguard the future of British agriculture.”

William White, Sustainable Farming Campaign Coordinator at Sustain, added: “Riverford’s scarecrow protest sends a stark message: only strong regulation from the Government can ensure farmers get a fair deal for the food they produce.”

The produce from the installation will be donated to The Felix Project, the London branch of FareShare. The group collects surplus food and delivers it to nearly 8,500 frontline charities and community groups to provide vulnerable people across the UK with healthy meals.