News archive item

Campden Day 2009

Over 500 members and guests registered for our Open Day on 3 June at which we showcased our facilities and expertise for delivering first class scientific, technical and information services to the food and drink supply chain.

Sustainability through food security

Jonathon Porritt CBE, Founder Director of Forum for the Future and Chair of the Sustainable Development Commission, delivered the Thirty-first Annual Campden Lecture, addressing the theme of ‘Sustainability through food security’.

In doing so, he provided a challenging and thought-provoking critique of the Government’s Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy, arguing passionately that it was “no longer fit for purpose”, having been overtaken by new policy developments elsewhere in government (particularly on climate change and obesity), and by a dramatic worsening of key geopolitical factors such as energy prices, resource shortages and vulnerable supply chains.

He also outlined the challenge facing industry in the wake of the Government’s recent announcement of the statutory targets against which the UK’s ‘carbon budgets’ will be assessed - at least a 34% cut in greenhouse gases by 2020, rising to 40% if a deal is done in Copenhagen at the end of the year, on the way through to an 80% cut by 2050 - commenting:

"To make any kind of positive contribution in achieving those targets, the food sector is going to have to undertake a dramatic ‘decarbonisation’ of every aspect of its supply chain, from on farm production all the way through to point of sale. Our entire farming enterprise is still geared to high carbon emissions and low energy prices - and that’s going to have to be completely reversed."

An audio podcast and full transcript of the lecture are available via the Campden Day pages.

If you were unable to attend Campden Day, or if you attended and would like a second look at the displays, many of the posters can now be viewed via our website, where you can also listen again to Jonathon Porritt’s thought-provoking lecture: www.campden.co.uk/cday/2009.htm

A printed copy of the lecture can be obtained by e-mailing pubs@campden.co.uk and giving your full postal address. Alternatively, you can automatically receive a pdf by e-mailing auto@campden.co.uk with the subject line: send lecture 2009