Why Booths is committed to supporting British food producers – Yorkshire Post Letters

From: Edwin J Booth, Chairman and CEO, and Nigel Murray, Chief Operating Officer, Booths Supermarkets.
Supermarket chain Booths, which has this branch in Ilkley, is backing British farmers.Supermarket chain Booths, which has this branch in Ilkley, is backing British farmers.
Supermarket chain Booths, which has this branch in Ilkley, is backing British farmers.

AT Booths we respect and value the importance of the farming community and their contribution to society, the economy and the environment.

Food and farming has been at the heart of Booths for well over 170 years, and the array of farmers and growers form the very backbone of our business.

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The farmers, growers and producers we work with, many of whom are local family businesses, create some of the finest food and drink in the world and work tirelessly to conserve the countryside we all enjoy.

A petition in support of British farmers and food producers has been set up by the NFU.A petition in support of British farmers and food producers has been set up by the NFU.
A petition in support of British farmers and food producers has been set up by the NFU.

We are very proud of the many long term relationships with our suppliers at Booths, and also the exacting food standards that we all adhere to in order to ensure we serve our customers with the very best food and drink.

Covid-19 has highlighted the importance of food security and traceability. There is also a need for education and insight into how food is grown, sown and produced so that we respect not only the food we eat, but place significantly greater value on the people providing it for us.

British farmers and producers need the strong support of government to protect our food standards, and help preserve livelihoods, against the real threat of imported products produced to lower standards than we expect and demand in the UK.

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At Booths, we are committed to supporting not just British producers, but local producers based in the four counties we serve. Booths source milk from regional family-owned dairies and an abundance of seasonal fruit and vegetables from local producers.

We sell regional specialities like Herdwick and Salt Marsh lamb, and an ever-growing selection of English award-winning wines, supporting a new and innovative UK industry.

All of these products, and many more, are produced in line with some of the most stringent food production and animal welfare standards in the world.

A race to the bottom on food standards will serve no one. Farming throughout the UK has high standards of safety and welfare and sustainable ambitions, with an aim to be net zero in greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

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Britain’s farmers, growers and food producers need your support now more than ever, which is why we at Booths are publicly backing the NFU’s food standards petition and hope you might share in our support: https://www.nfuonline.com/news/latest-news/food-standards-petition.

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