All Shall Have Prizes

[Moghrey Mie]

I see Chief Minister Tony Brown has selected his team. Can anybody explain how a small department such as Agriculture, which deals with a couple of hundred farmers and a few trees, needs a minister ( Gawne) and 3 departmental members (Butt, Cregeen and Cannell)? What will they find to do?

[hboy]

What will they find to do?

 

A truffle hunt on new years day???

[Guest ravabelli]

I see Chief Minister Tony Brown has selected his team. Can anybody explain how a small department such as Agriculture, which deals with a couple of hundred farmers and a few trees, needs a minister ( Gawne) and 3 departmental members (Butt, Cregeen and Cannell)? What will they find to do?

 

Think I know why....

 

Three departmental members plus CoMIN (cabinet responsibility) support for any DAFF decisions means a simple majority of elected members (13/24). LegCo would not rock this boat. Who needs debate in Tynwald?

 

Is there something controversial coming up I wonder?

 

Wish I was not so cynical sometimes.

[John Wright]

Agriculture has the biggest EU challenge since we became associated in 1973 through protocol 3 looming over it. It is an area of free trade. We have negotiated opt ouits until 2007. There is no chance of another extension. So, if all goes to plan there will be cheap imports for all and little or no market for expensive Manx food and havoc in the industry.

 

It may be a small part of our industrial base but it dictates how our country sided loks and we have an emotioanl attachment to it.

[Albert Tatlock]

It may be a small part of our industrial base but it dictates how our country side looks and we have an emotional attachment to it.

That's the key bit of all this none of us should underestimate. If farmers are forced to start selling off land we could all be in for a bit of a shock at how the Manx countryside could change - especially if people start to prove "this land has not used been used agricultarally for X years" etc. etc. After 2007 this is not just about supporting a few local farmers, it is about whether the Isle of Man becomes as built up as Jersey.

 

I agree with earlier posts suggesting the organic approach. We could be backing and pushing farmers to go down the organic route, for which there is a growing market out there (including funding a TV advertising campaign). With our own 'kite mark' standards this could be quite lucrative. The time to act is now, not in a few years time when it will be too late.

 

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....Manx Bacon" and dairy products with anti-chostelerol etc. IMO, it's only the value-added markets that will help the industry to compete even in the UK - and we should back them. This is not so much about subsidies as retaining the integrity of the island.

[keyboarder]

This is not so much about subsidies as retaining the integrity of the island.

 

How is the integrity of the island going to be maintained by throwing money at our farmers? You can't mean organic farming methods need to be maintained as there seems to be very little organic farming done locally. Perhaps it's time the appearance of the countryside did start to change.

[Moghrey Mie]

Agriculture has the biggest EU challenge since we became associated in 1973 through protocol 3 looming over it. It is an area of free trade. We have negotiated opt ouits until 2007. There is no chance of another extension. So, if all goes to plan there will be cheap imports for all and little or no market for expensive Manx food and havoc in the industry.

 

It may be a small part of our industrial base but it dictates how our country sided loks and we have an emotioanl attachment to it.

 

 

Didn't New Zealand get rid of its farming subsidies and survive despite stories of 'havoc' predicted there?

When I was there a couple of years ago they still had a flourishing farming industry and lots of attractive countryside too.

[Albert Tatlock]

Perhaps it's time the appearance of the countryside did start to change.

Clearly you do not understand what the Isle of Man is all about and why it is different from the UK.

 

Didn't New Zealand get rid of its farming subsidies and survive despite stories of 'havoc' predicted there?

When I was there a couple of years ago they still had a flourishing farming industry and lots of attractive countryside too.

Mainly because the industry is heavily backed by its government (backed by millions of pounds in TV adverts) and (most importantly) by its people, is separated by several thousand miles of sea and is not part of a 500,000 million EU population with rules that say it must import X and Y (which in the EU can arrive fresh from anywhere the next day).

 

IMO it's places like NZ and their approach that we should study.

 

Edited to add: Don't get me wrong - I'm not in favour of subsidies - more a head/kick start for them which will take a lot of organisation and backing and leadership.

 

Unfortunately the history of our agricultural ministers shows they are like nappies - full of **** and need changing often.

[Moghrey Mie]

Perhaps it's time the appearance of the countryside did start to change.

Clearly you do not understand what the Isle of Man is all about and why it is different from the UK.

 

Didn't New Zealand get rid of its farming subsidies and survive despite stories of 'havoc' predicted there?

When I was there a couple of years ago they still had a flourishing farming industry and lots of attractive countryside too.

Mainly because the industry is heavily backed by its government (backed by millions of pounds in TV adverts) and (most importantly) by its people, is separated by several thousand miles of sea and is not part of a 500,000 million EU population with rules that say it must import X and Y (which in the EU can arrive fresh from anywhere the next day).

 

IMO it's places like NZ and their approach that we should study.

 

Edited to add: Don't get me wrong - I'm not in favour of subsidies - more a head/kick start for them which will take a lot of organisation and backing and leadership.

 

Unfortunately the history of our agricultural ministers shows they are like nappies - full of **** and need changing often.

[keyboarder]

Clearly you do not understand what the Isle of Man is all about and why it is different from the UK.

 

Oh really? I understand this - if the subsidies are withdrawn and the local farmers can't compete with imports then the appearance of the countryside will change anyway. If only with the sight of agricultural personnel hanging from the trees.

[Moghrey Mie]

Clearly you do not understand what the Isle of Man is all about and why it is different from the UK.

 

Oh really? I understand this - if the subsidies are withdrawn and the local farmers can't compete with imports then the appearance of the countryside will change anyway. If only with the sight of agricultural personnel hanging from the trees.

 

Try Googling "Life After Subsidies' and you'll see another angle on the New Zealand experience.

[keyboarder]

Try Googling "Life After Subsidies' and you'll see another angle on the New Zealand experience.

 

Indeed, although I'm not sure the Island agricultural sector is big enough to follow the NZ model. Around 90% of their farming produce is exported, which bearing in mind the comparitive size of NZ makes it a huge industry bringing the unit cost down substantially. (and accounting for 55% of total exports). More importantly, I feel, most food consumed is domestically produced (probably as it is competitively priced). This is where Manx farmers should be aiming - food miles are an issue of the future. But most end users seem to only care about price. Quality and source are of secondary importance.

[Juan Kerr]

[More importantly, I feel, most food consumed is domestically produced (probably as it is competitively priced). This is where Manx farmers should be aiming - food miles are an issue of the future. But most end users seem to only care about price. Quality and source are of secondary importance.

 

In this world price has been made to be the primary issue - Tesco and others have seen to that (and why not food can be expensive). People will pay extra for quality produce BUT the basic cheap produce now available is so good its down to marketing to provide the illusion of added value - and that costs money to generate.

 

People won't buy Manx cheese without being sold the story of manx cheese (or meat or whatever), and being forced to make that subliminal decision that its worth paying extra for it based on what they hear.

 

This is where the IOM loses out. We have a fantastic opportunity to market manx meats, cheeses, and food higher up the chain because lets face - it nobody cares where a Tesco joint comes from (but they might pay extra for some funky manx organic meat in Sainsbury's). With most places like Tesco's the meat is relatively cheap and their quality control is ok so it won't kill you. But we have to be taught to attach value to things that are more expensive - that's either by buying into the brand image, of the values of the product (organic, low fat etc).

 

Its not particularly difficult to pull off, but its what is needed.

[Frances]

Sainsbury's across has a premium cheese from various Scottish Islands (actually very good as a mature cheddar - the Manx mature version is my favourite whilst on Island but unobtainable across).

I'm not a meat eater but I've been reliably informed that if Manx Loughtan meat were more widely marketed it would sell extremely well at a premium (as would Manx ice cream and kippers tho Loch Fyne seems to be pushing this market). I can't see why the Island couldn't compete in the organic free range chicken market as well.

[keyboarder]

I don't think any island farmers are producing ANY chicken for the table, organic, free range or otherwise. Farmers do need to take risks I think. Manx cheese is ok, but it wouldn't set Borough Market alight would it? I do like the plain cheddars for an everyday cheese but I can't be doing with thoses silly recipe versions. Far more exciting would be eg an unpasteurised Loughtan Sheeps cheese. Now that could sell for premium money. Kippers seem to be historic as the herring now comes from Scandinavia. Two fairly recent innovations which seem to have worked are - the organic farmers market out on the Patrick Road at St. Johns. Out of acorns etc.. And the egg farmers in Baldrine with the roadside shed - I get all my eggs there and point everyone else there too, it's a great little cottage industry of the type that should be everywhere. But more innovation, such as rare breed flocks is necessary if the lifting of import restrictions is going to strangle local agriculture. Otherwise we might as well just accept the countryside appearance will change. A la Jersey. (which again might not be such a bad thing)