Sustainable Bites 04.01.24

The amuse bouche

• UK government accused of breaking budget promises to farmers
• Forbes reveals foods hit hardest by climate change in 2023
• Trade body calls for a lower VAT rate for hospitality in 2024
• Spend in UK restaurants dropped 6.7% in 2023
• Scientists generate clean fuel from whisky-making byproduct

And for the main…

UK government accused of breaking budget promises to farmers

A report from The Guardian reveals that UK government has not spent the £2.4bn a year it had promised to direct to agriculture. Figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show an underspend of £110m in 2021-22 and £117m in 2022-23.

In a plan to replace the EU’s common agricultural policy (which paid farmers for each hectare of land they managed), the government had said that this money would be used nto help farmers to improve the natural environment while delivering public goods.

Farmers said their direct payments have been halved since Brexit and that they have not seen much of the promised farming budget. With many smaller farms already struggling to stay in business, this is money that could change the fate of many.

Steve Reed, the shadow environment secretary, said, “The Conservatives have broken yet another promise to our farmers. This money should be in the pockets of our farmers, who have instead been abandoned by this government.”

President of the National Farmers’ Union Minette Batters said the underspend was unacceptable. “Farmers were promised a seamless transition to [the post-Brexit payment scheme] Elms. In a general election year it is unacceptable that the schemes are still in development, there are huge concerns at to whether the sustainable farming incentive payments can be delivered – despite the NFU and others asking for piloting of delivery, this hasn’t happened. With 50% of basic payment scheme payments cut, farmers in England have no idea where that money is and what it has been spent on.”

A Defra spokesperson sai,: “These claims are categorically untrue. As we have repeatedly made clear, we are on track to meet our commitment to maintaining our annual farming budget for England at £2.4bn per year, with a higher spend planned in the final year of this parliament to ensure we achieve this. We have invested a significant amount of money in the farming sector including through Elms and we are seeing strong demand for the improved sustainable farming incentive offer. This has been complemented by grants and funds to help farmers innovate and modernise, such as the Farming innovation programme.”

Also in the UK, members of activist group Animal Rising have launched a new project to create an “allyship” between vegans and farmers. Vegans Support Farmers (VSF) has been created to back a farmer-led sustainable transformation of the UK food system and will also fundraise to support farmers’ mental health. The project has three objectives: to achieve a fair price for farmers from retailers; to convince the UK government to boost home-grown produce and move away from importing cheap food; and, when it comes to policymaking, to help farmers’ voices be heard above those of retailers and agribusinesses.

“We realised that farmers and vegans have many more things in common than divide us – a need for a sustainable future for the next generation,” said co-founder Kerri Waters. “As vegans, we oppose injustice against all living beings, including farmers, because it is the right thing to do […] It is time the movement matured to a level where we can have honest and humble conversations with farmers.”

Following the announcement, Animal Rising received backlash on social media, with some questioning its support of famers involved in animal-based food production. VSF responded by saying these arguments are unconstructive and divisive, to the detriment of our future food system.

“We are unapologetically clear and honest that our vision of a just and sustainable food system is fully plant-based,” said Waters. “But if we are ever going to make any real changes it must be done with the involvement of farmers and the knowledge they carry. Our goals are ones that we know both farmers and vegans can align with. A fairer price for farmers, growing more food and importing less, and listening to farmers instead of corporations.”

Forbes reveals foods hit hardest by climate change in 2023

A new article from orbes has revealed the foods that were the most affected by the impact of the climate crisis during 2023, the hottest year in recorded history.

• Grapes and wine: According to the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), global wine production was at its lowest in over three decades, with droughts, floods, wildfires and severe weather having devastating effects on vineyards in top grape-growing countries such as Chile, Spain and Italy. Overall, grape yields saw a reduction of approximately 7% compared to the previous year. 
• Blueberries: Last year saw unprecedented heatwaves across large parts of South America, much of which were ongoing during blueberry flowering season. In Peru, this led to a drop in blueberry exports of more than 50%. With elevated temperatures predicted in the primary blueberry-producing regions of Peru until at least this autumn, we can expect to see significant price increases.
• Olives and olive oil: Spain’s olive industry has felt the effects of continuous severe drought, resulting in a 50% reduction in yield. Prices of Spanish olive oil reached unprecedented levels and stockpiles have significantly decreased. This is also having a knock-on effect on secondary food products that typically make use of olive oil, such as tinned fish.
• Rice: Global rice production decreased in 2023 due to the effects of the climate crisis in the EU, US and Asia. India – the world’s largest exporter of rice – responded to shortage concerns by imposing restrictions on shipments, contributing to prices rising to their highest levels in 15 years. 
• Potatoes: A study published in Climate marks potato production as under serious threat from climate change, predicting a decline in global yields potentially of 18-32% within the next 45 years. In 2023, we saw the beginning of this, with heavy rain causing one of the lowest potato harvests on record in the UK.

Spend in UK restaurants dropped 6.7% in 2023

According to data reported by Barclays, UK restaurants saw a 6.7% decline in consumer spending over 2023. In October 2023, almost half (47%) of consumers cited high energy bills as a reason to cut back on discretionary spending through the colder months, with eating out at restaurants (56%) one of the most cited areas for cutbacks.

However, with increased spend in other business types such as bars, pubs, clubs and takeaways, the overall hospitality sector enjoyed an overall growth of 9.5%. The data suggests that the cost-of-living crisis is leading more customers to choose pub food over restaurant dining for more occasions.

Trade body calls for a lower VAT rate for hospitality in 2024

UKHospitality has unveiled a three-point plan for 2024, focusing on growth, investment and jobs. Over the coming year, the trade body will push for a lower rate of VAT across the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors.

Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said, “Hospitality businesses will be hoping this year brings some respite from the endless price rises that have plagued the sector over the past 18 months. What’s becoming more apparent is that, despite falling inflation, government action is still needed to bring costs down and allow hospitality businesses to reach their potential.”

In unveiling its plan for the year ahead, the industry trade body cited figures from a report by Ignite Economics showing that, with the right environment, hospitality could increase its direct contribution to the economy by £29bn and create half a million new jobs by 2027.

UKHospitality says that a lower rate of VAT would boost demand, help businesses overcome rising costs and prevent further rises in prices for consumers. They are also calling for a permanent, lower rate multiplier for hospitality, leisure and tourism.

The trade body is asking people in the sector to write to their MPs to “urge them, and their parties, to support a lower rate of VAT for hospitality, tourism and leisure”.

A sweet treat to finish

Scientists generate clean fuel from whisky-making byproduct

Scientists at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland have developed a method of using wastewater from whisky distilleries to produce green hydrogen. Unlike fossil fuels, green hydrogen does not produce carbon when burned.

Green hydrogen is normally created using fresh water, in a process thought to consume around 20.5 billion litres of fresh water every year. Meanwhile, the distilling industry produces some one billion litres of waste water, which hopefully can now be redirected to create green hydrogen.

Materials scientist Dr Sudhagar Pitchaimuthu and his team at the University’s School of Engineering and Physical Sciences developed a nanoscale material that allows distillery wastewater to replace fresh water in the green hydrogen production process. He said, “To help protect the planet, we need to reduce our use of fresh water and other natural resources. So our research focused on how to use this distillery wastewater for green hydrogen production with a simple process that removes waste materials present in the water.”

The research is published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal, Sustainable Energy & Fuels. The paper is authored by Dr Pitchaimuthu’s PhD student, Michael Walsh, who played a key role in conducting the research.

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