• MPs, food businesses and farming campaigners met at the House of Commons to discuss supply chain reform and regulation of supermarkets
• Campaigners are calling for a single, central regulator to protect farmers and ensure fair treatment by supermarkets as current system labelled "not fit for purpose"
• This marks the culmination of organic veg box company Riverford's landmark #GetFairAboutFarming campaign, as founder urges public to ask MPs to back reform

The imbalance of power between supermarkets and British farmers was discussed by MPs, Peers and farming representatives at the House of Commons yesterday (Tuesday 2nd September), as campaigners called for reform in the supply chain. 

The roundtable discussed how to improve fair dealing and called for a single, central regulator to provide genuine protection to farmers and ensure fair treatment by supermarkets. The current system has been accused of "failing farmers" and branded "not fit for purpose".

Two years on from organic veg box company Riverford's launch of the powerful #GetFairAboutFarming campaign, farmers and growers in the UK are still being forced to accept late payments and order cancellations without notice. 

As pressure mounts, nearly 30 MPs have signed up to an Early Day Motion which suggests merging the existing supply chain watchdogs, currently split across two government departments, into one stronger, more effective body. As it stands, the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) currently sits under the Department for Business and Trade, and operates separately to the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator (ASCA), which reports to Defra.

Proposals to overhaul the regulator and drive out unfair purchasing practices were put forward to Parliament by Andrew George, LibDem MP for St Ives, and political support for policy improvement is growing. So far it has attracted 28 cross-party MP signatures, including notable sponsors like Labour MP Rebecca Long Bailey and Conservative MP Sir John Hayes, who was involved in settling up the GCA in 2013. 

Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford, says: "For too long, supermarkets have been left unchecked. British farmers are faced with last-minute cancellations, delayed payments, and rock-bottom prices. Riverford's Get Fair About Farming campaign revealed 67% of farmers fear being delisted if they speak out, and three-quarters say supermarket behaviour is their biggest concern¹.

"I urge MPs to stand with farmers and call on the Government to create a single, central watchdog with real teeth, and that is strong enough to hold supermarkets to account, help to rebalance the system, and give farmers the security to farm well rather than worry whether they'll be paid."

Riverford and Sustain, the alliance for better food and farming, are asking members of the public to write to their MP asking them to support better regulation and ensure fair treatment across the whole supply chain, from farmers and growers all the way to the biggest retailers. 

MP Sir John Hayes warned previously that the current adjudicator's powers "are insufficient", and told Parliament that there's a reluctance to report issues to the regulator as farmers "fear they will be identified and later punished" by retailers. He added that retailers are "economic tyrants" who "have little mercy."

Riverford founder Guy Singh-Watson adds: "For two years, through Get Fair About Farming, Riverford has been calling on the Government to take action to safeguard the future of British agriculture. Our research showed the climate of fear is real, with many farmers afraid to speak out against abuse. 

"A single regulator with real authority would give them the confidence to invest in their businesses, care for the land, and continue producing the good food we all depend on. We hope this Early Day Motion is the first step towards giving them the protection they deserve."

Calls for reform stem directly from organic veg box company Riverford's powerful campaign, #GetFairAboutFarming, in 2023. 

Backed by an array of public figures, including Ray Mears, Deborah Meaden and Jimmy Doherty, as well as influential organisations including Sustain and The Soil Association the campaign gathered over 113,000 signatures on its petition and culminated in a Parliamentary debate on the issue.

Riverford's #GetFairAboutFarming research revealed 67% of farmers fear being delisted if they speak out against unfair supermarket practices and 75% say the behaviour of supermarkets is a leading concern within the industry, with many farmers fearing they will soon be out of business. 

Georgina Edwards, Sustainable Farming Campaign Officer at Sustain, says: "Now is a crucial time for addressing the power imbalance between the people that produce our food and the retailers that sell it.

"Research by Sustain revealed farmers are often left with less than 1% of the profit from the food they produce - which can be less than 1p. If farmers can't make a fair living, they can't grow the food we rely on.

"Unfair treatment from supermarkets pushes them into debt, which in turn damages their mental health and prevents them from engaging with the transition to nature-friendly farming.

"The solution is clear: we need a single, well-resourced regulator with the power to enforce fairness across the supply chain."

If you want to see a fairer future for farmers, write to your MP and ask them to support the proposal for better, more joined-up regulation.