• About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Awards
  • Classifieds
  • Login
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
Membership
Quota Media
Omnibuzz

Food systems news

Monday March 27 2023

Great minds think aloud

  • News
    • All
    • In the news
    • Features
    • Opinion
    eco-labels

    Supermarket food could soon carry eco-labels, says study

    The “Inflation Reduction Act” marks a new chapter for America’s climate policy. Pic: PA

    New US act encourages low-carbon purchases

    Economist chart: Sources: UN Comtrade; UN joint coordination centre; Ukrainian

    Nine cargo ships have left Ukraine

    Smog is so bad in Delhi at times that the government has closed elementary schools. Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images

    The UN just declared a universal human right to a healthy, sustainable environment

    carbon-neutral eggs

    Hens fed insects to lay carbon-neutral eggs

    Oleksiy Vadatursky was worth $450m (£369m), according to a 2020 estimate by Forbes

    Ukraine grain tycoon killed in Russian shelling

    General Assembly Meets on Peacebuilding and Human Rights. Photo by UN

    UN right to a healthy environment “is ammunition for campaigners”

    Grain exports

    Ukraine war: Grain exports could restart ‘within days’

    Protests in Nairobi as Maasai activists deliver a petition to the Tanzania High Commission, in Kenya, 17 June 2022. EPA-EFE/Daniel Irungu

    In northern Tanzania, the government is trying to evict thousands of Maasai

    Dr Roberto Mukaro Agüeibaná Borrero uses air quotes: “Indigenous people are being kicked out to ‘protect’ the animals and land”

    Indigenous Peoples side lined at UN, opening the door to land grabs under 30×30

  • Business
  • Policy
  • Research
  • Sections
    • All
    • Retail
    • Data
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Economy
    • Health
    • Food Safety
    • Governance
    • Security
    • Sustainability
    • Agriculture
    • Rights
    • Tech
    eco-labels

    Supermarket food could soon carry eco-labels, says study

    The “Inflation Reduction Act” marks a new chapter for America’s climate policy. Pic: PA

    New US act encourages low-carbon purchases

    Economist chart: Sources: UN Comtrade; UN joint coordination centre; Ukrainian

    Nine cargo ships have left Ukraine

    Indigenous communities are raising awareness about how the proposed lithium mine at Peehee Mu'huh (Thacker Pass), NV, will impact their ancestral burial grounds, water resources, and wildlife. Photo by Chanda Callao/ @Peopleofredmountain.

    Free, prior and informed consent required as clean energy threatens Indigenous Peoples

    Smog is so bad in Delhi at times that the government has closed elementary schools. Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images

    The UN just declared a universal human right to a healthy, sustainable environment

    carbon-neutral eggs

    Hens fed insects to lay carbon-neutral eggs

    Oleksiy Vadatursky was worth $450m (£369m), according to a 2020 estimate by Forbes

    Ukraine grain tycoon killed in Russian shelling

    General Assembly Meets on Peacebuilding and Human Rights. Photo by UN

    UN right to a healthy environment “is ammunition for campaigners”

    Grain exports

    Ukraine war: Grain exports could restart ‘within days’

    Trending Tags

    • Covid-19
    • UK
    • Retail
  • Comms unit
  • Shop
  • Events
  • News
    • All
    • In the news
    • Features
    • Opinion
    eco-labels

    Supermarket food could soon carry eco-labels, says study

    The “Inflation Reduction Act” marks a new chapter for America’s climate policy. Pic: PA

    New US act encourages low-carbon purchases

    Economist chart: Sources: UN Comtrade; UN joint coordination centre; Ukrainian

    Nine cargo ships have left Ukraine

    Smog is so bad in Delhi at times that the government has closed elementary schools. Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images

    The UN just declared a universal human right to a healthy, sustainable environment

    carbon-neutral eggs

    Hens fed insects to lay carbon-neutral eggs

    Oleksiy Vadatursky was worth $450m (£369m), according to a 2020 estimate by Forbes

    Ukraine grain tycoon killed in Russian shelling

    General Assembly Meets on Peacebuilding and Human Rights. Photo by UN

    UN right to a healthy environment “is ammunition for campaigners”

    Grain exports

    Ukraine war: Grain exports could restart ‘within days’

    Protests in Nairobi as Maasai activists deliver a petition to the Tanzania High Commission, in Kenya, 17 June 2022. EPA-EFE/Daniel Irungu

    In northern Tanzania, the government is trying to evict thousands of Maasai

    Dr Roberto Mukaro Agüeibaná Borrero uses air quotes: “Indigenous people are being kicked out to ‘protect’ the animals and land”

    Indigenous Peoples side lined at UN, opening the door to land grabs under 30×30

  • Business
  • Policy
  • Research
  • Sections
    • All
    • Retail
    • Data
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Economy
    • Health
    • Food Safety
    • Governance
    • Security
    • Sustainability
    • Agriculture
    • Rights
    • Tech
    eco-labels

    Supermarket food could soon carry eco-labels, says study

    The “Inflation Reduction Act” marks a new chapter for America’s climate policy. Pic: PA

    New US act encourages low-carbon purchases

    Economist chart: Sources: UN Comtrade; UN joint coordination centre; Ukrainian

    Nine cargo ships have left Ukraine

    Indigenous communities are raising awareness about how the proposed lithium mine at Peehee Mu'huh (Thacker Pass), NV, will impact their ancestral burial grounds, water resources, and wildlife. Photo by Chanda Callao/ @Peopleofredmountain.

    Free, prior and informed consent required as clean energy threatens Indigenous Peoples

    Smog is so bad in Delhi at times that the government has closed elementary schools. Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images

    The UN just declared a universal human right to a healthy, sustainable environment

    carbon-neutral eggs

    Hens fed insects to lay carbon-neutral eggs

    Oleksiy Vadatursky was worth $450m (£369m), according to a 2020 estimate by Forbes

    Ukraine grain tycoon killed in Russian shelling

    General Assembly Meets on Peacebuilding and Human Rights. Photo by UN

    UN right to a healthy environment “is ammunition for campaigners”

    Grain exports

    Ukraine war: Grain exports could restart ‘within days’

    Trending Tags

    • Covid-19
    • UK
    • Retail
  • Comms unit
  • Shop
  • Events
No Result
View All Result
Quota Media
No Result
View All Result
Home Topics Security

Small is beautiful say meat processing advocates

Covid-19 closures are adding pressure to address consolidation in the sector

by Lise Colyer
June 19, 2020
in Business, Health, Food Safety, Rights
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Meat Processing Advocates Ronald Kers, the CEO of 2 Sisters Food Group, says 75% of the UK population eats its food every day

Ronald Kers, the CEO of 2 Sisters Food Group, says 75% of the UK population eats its food every day

182
SHARES
2k
VIEWS
Share on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Facebook

As food factories in England and Wales close, with around 250 confirmed cases of coronavirus among workers, pressure for regulatory changes mounts across Europe, the UK and the United States.

Advocates are calling for smaller local plants, saying consumers are prepared to foot the bill for subsequently higher retail prices. This comes hand in hand with calls for improved conditions and better health cover for food processing workers.

The link between high consolidation and the risk of food insecurity has long been observed. 2 Sisters Food Group is the UK’s main supplier of chicken. It closed its Anglesey plant this week for 14 days after 58 people tested positive for coronavirus.

In Canada, a Covid-19 outbreak at a single Cargill plant in Alberta impacted close to one-half of Canada’s beef supply. In the United States it was estimated that 10% of all beef production and 25% of pork production closed when 13 packing and food processing workers died after contracting Covid-19.

In France, Germany and the UK, the top five beef and poultry producers account for a large majority of their respective markets. In the United States the top four beef processors control about 80% of meat supply, all four of which, Tyson Foods Inc., JBS SA, Cargill Inc. and National Beef Inc. are being investigated over alleged price fixing.

Pressure for change is coming from local communities as well as food policy advocates. Flare-ups in local factories lead to the re-imposition of lockdown, meaning schools and offices must close again.

Workers are shoulder to shoulder, processing 400 cattle per hour

Consolidated competition leads to pressure for quicker processing. The faster animal carcasses move along a production line, the closer together workers need to operate, putting them at high risk of infection from airborne virus particles. German poultry line speeds can be faster even than those of the United States, where employees work shoulder to shoulder, processing up to 400 cattle per hour.

Meat processing relies generally on low-paid migrant labour, living and working in tightly-packed, unhealthy conditions. Living hand to mouth and without access to adequate sick pay, the current conditions dissuade staff from skipping work to self-isolate and prevent the transmission of the illness.

In France, the Confédération Paysanne farmers’ union called for a return to smaller-scale, local meat production, saying, “The re-localisation of (meat) processing is a necessary step toward a more resilient system.”

The European Commission has echoed these proposals in its new Farm to Fork Strategy, for the continent-wide Green Deal. The Commission says it plans to promote “shorter supply chains” in order “to enhance resilience of regional and local food systems”.

Small producers have to transport their animals long distances for processing at large plants, often hundreds of miles. Consolidation means that, in the United States for example, small producers are often told that plants cannot process their meat for six months. Or they are turned away completely.

This week Germany announced new measures, in response to the closure of a number of meat plants, The sector employs at least 90,000, 70% of whom are subcontracted through employment agencies. From January 1st next year large meat processing companies will have to directly employ all their workers.

The UK’s dependency on large processors is such as that in March, Ronald Kers, the CEO of 2 Sisters Food Group, referred to his company’s role in national food security, saying 75% of the UK population eats its food every day. He made a social media video appeal for a nationwide recruitment campaign.

Mr Kers said in his video post: “2 Sisters’ job is literally to feed the nation. Getting food to people has never been so important. As we come together as a country to fight the coronavirus, we need everybody’s help.”

Privately-owned 2 Sisters employs 20,000 in the UK and Europe, processes one-third of all chicken consumed in the UK, it is the largest ready-meals producer and makes Fox’s Biscuits and other bakery goods.

Further reading

  • Coronavirus whistle-blower at US pork plant

  • Tyson Foods in US mandate staff vaccinations

  • Anglesey schools will not open after 2 Sisters outbreak

Sign up for Best of Quota
  Thank you for Signing Up
Please correct the marked field(s) below.
1,true,6,Contact Email,2 1,false,1,First Name,2 1,false,1,Last Name,2
Tags: United StatesFranceUnited KingdomGermanyMeatEuropean Commission
Previous Post

Why an outbreak sparked a salmon panic in China

Next Post

Anglesey schools will not open after 2 Sisters outbreak

Lise Colyer

Lise Colyer

Lise Colyer is a founding editor of Quota. She seeks to improve food systems by communicating effectively across the business, policy and research sectors. Contact LiseColyer@quota.media.

Next Post
Anglesey schools 2 Sisters produces a third of all poultry products consumed in the UK

Anglesey schools will not open after 2 Sisters outbreak

Please login to join discussion

Editor's Picks

Indigenous communities are raising awareness about how the proposed lithium mine at Peehee Mu'huh (Thacker Pass), NV, will impact their ancestral burial grounds, water resources, and wildlife. Photo by Chanda Callao/ @Peopleofredmountain.
Rights

Free, prior and informed consent required as clean energy threatens Indigenous Peoples

by May Davies
August 9, 2022
0
1.1k

A new coalition of Indigenous Peoples is calling for free, prior and informed consent to be negotiated without exception as...

Read more
Smog is so bad in Delhi at times that the government has closed elementary schools. Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images

The UN just declared a universal human right to a healthy, sustainable environment

August 6, 2022
1.1k
Protests in Nairobi as Maasai activists deliver a petition to the Tanzania High Commission, in Kenya, 17 June 2022. EPA-EFE/Daniel Irungu

In northern Tanzania, the government is trying to evict thousands of Maasai

July 23, 2022
1.1k
Mikkel Friis-Holm: "It was great to be the dad of real principle." Pic: Robin Skjoldborg

Mikkel Friis-Holm’s Chocolate War – free speech vs boycotts in Copenhagen

July 15, 2022
2.7k
Ecuador’s Indigenous peoples: we are protecting our territories “If we lose territory we lose everything. It’s that simple.” Pic: Confederación de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador

Ecuador’s Indigenous Peoples: we are protecting our territories

July 1, 2022
1.2k
Twitter Youtube LinkedIn
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Awards
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Classifieds
  • Events
  • Login

Popular Tags

Covid-19 United States United Kingdom United Nations Brexit 2021 Food Systems Summit European Union China Food and Agriculture Organization UK World Food Programme Nestle Climate Change COP26 Food banks Meat Farmers Slavery

Best of Quota

Our audience's free secret weapon, leaving others to ask, "What do they know, that I don't?"


Thank you for Signing Up
Please correct the marked field(s) below.
1,true,6,Contact Email,21,false,1,First Name,21,false,1,Last Name,2

© 2021 Quota Media Limited | All rights reserved | Registered Company Number 12581018      Online Web Fonts

Terms & Conditions      Privacy Policy      Ethical Policy      Cookie Policy     

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Policy
  • Research
  • Comms unit
  • Shop
  • Events
  • Membership subs
  • Awards
  • Contact
  • About

© 2021 Quota Media Limited | All rights reserved | Registered Company Number 12581018      Online Web Fonts

Terms & Conditions      Privacy Policy      Ethical Policy      Cookie Policy     

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In