Campaign for Organic Targets Bill

On 26 October 1999 Joan Ruddock MP launched the Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill, which would require that the government draw up targets to ensure by 2010 that 30% of agricultural land and 20% of food consumed is organic. Vicki Hird reports.

Organic farming can make a significant contribution to expanding the area of land farmed sustainably in the UK. Unlike other forms of sustainable agriculture, organic farming has common standards which are legally enforced and which ensure environmental, animal welfare, and health benefits. The BSE crisis has so far cost the UK £4 billion and the loss of 37,000 jobs. The steady rise in food poisoning is costing £1-£3 billion each year and is thought by many to be caused by intensive food production. The water industry spends about £121 million a year on removing pesticides from drinking water sources.
    Concern over these issues, and the need for some substantial action led to the formation of the Organic Target Campaign by a range of public interest groups1. The campaign aims to bring together a very broad coalition to persuade the government to adopt a target for UK agricultural land to be organic.

Campaigning for the Bill
At a press conference to launch the Campaign, Patrick Holden, Director of the Soil Association, reinforced concerns about UK farming: “Patient Britain is sick – the symptoms are a decline in rural employment, and heavy costs to clean up agricultural pollution. The cure is the launch of initiatives such as the Organic Targets Bill.”
    Farmer and consumer interests in organics has never been higher. Yet only around 1% of UK farmland is organic. Conversion would help tackle the adverse effects of conventional intensive farming such as land and water pollution, soil erosion, loss of wildlife and animal welfare problems.

Why a Bill?
A Bill is necessary because so many different factors affect the development of the organic sector, an overall strategy is needed to focus all the relevant policies. An Act of Parliament is the only way to ensure that a legal target is set and that statutory policies are put in place to achieve it.
    On 26 October, the first step of the campaign was achieved when Joan Ruddock MP presented the Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill supported by 11 cross-party MPs. This Bill is known as a Presentation Bill which is unlikely to become law at this stage, but is often presented as a first step towards bringing in the desired legislation. In the 2000/01 parliamentary Session the Bill will be re-presented as a Private Member’s Bill, by which time it will have a high level of MP support generated by constituency lobbying and NGO campaigns.
    One year after the Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill has been passed the government must publish a draft plan setting out how the following is achieved in England, Wales and Northern Ireland2 by 2010:

• At least 30% of agricultural land is certified as, or in conversion to, organic
• by volume, at least 20% of food consumed is certified as organic
• all sections of society have reasonable access to organic food
• disparities in price between organic and conventional food are minimised
• market infrastructure to ensure supply can meet demand is developed

Ms Ruddock also put down an Early Day Motion on the Bill. This measure, which allows MPs to sign up and support the Bill, had been signed by 115 MPs of all political parties by 8 November.
    As well as over 20 public interest groups, support for the Bill is coming from major UK supermarkets. Both Sainsbury and Waitrose have informed the Campaign that this sort of action is in the best interests of consumers.

The future?
The Campaign will be mobilising the public to lobby their MPs and forging new links between farmers, environmental, health, consumer and development groups to help ensure that the Bill gets the necessary attention. This will set the scene to move organic into the heart of UK Government policy where it belongs and to use the finances and institutional resources in ways that promote sustainable agriculture and rural development.

1. The steering groups for the Campaign includes: Friends of the Earth, Soil Association, UNISON, Transport and General Workers Union (RAAW), Elm Farm Research Centre, HDRA and the Pesticides Trust [now PAN UK], with Sustain (the alliance for better food and farming) acting as the secretariat. It also has the support of over 20 NGOs including RSPB, the Family Farmers Association, the Welsh Consumer Council and Women’s Environmental Network.
2. Primary legislation in this field is now made in the Scottish parliament where it is hoped similar legislation will be tabled.

Vicki Hird, Sustain Policy Director, is co-ordinating the Campaign at Sustain, 94 White Lion Street, London N1 9PF. sustain@charity.vfree.com

[This article first appeared in Pesticides News No. 46, December 1999, page 11]