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Tesco is a fan of fresh produce grown in Fens
The Fens is about farmers working together using sustainable techniques such as integrated crop management to provide locally-produced vegetables, salad, flour mixes, beer and the like.
The Fens is about farmers working together using sustainable techniques such as integrated crop management to provide locally-produced vegetables, salad, flour mixes, beer and the like.This food is on the shelves of Tesco and is helping to reduce food miles by being delivered into and out of Tesco's Peterborough distribution centre.
And later this month, on August 27 and 28, Tesco at the Serpentine Green Shopping Centre will showcase Fenland farming under a Why Farming Matters in the Fens banner.
On these two days, visitors can meet some of the farmers who between them grow a significant proportion of the country's food and flora, including:
37 per cent of England's vegetables
24 per cent of England's potatoes
38 per cent of our bulbs and flowers
17 per cent of England's sugar beet
.
You can sample some of the tasty food they produce and pick up a copy of the NFU's Why Farming Matters in the Fens report.
What do you think? Do you look for food that is labeled as being locally grown?
Comment below, email us: John.Kralevich @ peterboroughtoday.co.uk.
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The report explains how farming contributes to the economy, tourism and the environment within the Fens, and shows why investment in flood defence measures is essential to protect this unique landscape and the people who live and work here.
Fens farming is important to Tesco as a vast percentage of produce comes from this area and supplies the region's stores and customers with locally-grown produce, which is grown by farming businesses that consumers know and trust.
These businesses have been part of the rural community for a long time, establishing themselves as great local employers and contributors to the region.
Many of them have been supplying Tesco for many years, making the produce from this region sustainable and developing a long-term relationship of supply to the retail giant's stores and the consumers.
Tesco is working with the NFU on the Why Farming Matters campaign.
It understands the value and commitment its suppliers have made to the region and how important this region is for food production, and also to Tesco as a company as it has many stores in the Fens and also employs store and distribution colleagues from the fens area.
The NFU is grateful to Tesco for supporting this Why Farming Matters in the Fens event.
More information is available on the regional pages of the NFU's website www.nfuonline.com.
The Shropshire family
The Shropshire family originally farmed 300 acres near Ely, but over the last 50 years the business has grown to be one of the largest fresh produce companies in Europe employing more than 1,700 people at the height of the season.
Shropshire's success is due to its innovative approach to production and marketing.
In 1984, Guy Shropshire founded G's Growers Ltd, a co-operative of farmers who became more efficient by sharing expertise and resources.
Today Shropshire's grow a wide variety of vegetables, both conventionally and organically, and are one of Europe's leading salad producers.
Vegetables and salads produced by Shropshire's are expertly marketed by G's Marketing Ltd, a subsidiary which conducts and acts upon the very latest consumer and market research.
Greenvale AP
OVER the last 40 years Greenvale AP has grown to become a leading supplier of fresh potatoes.
From March, in the heart of the Fens, and two other sites in Shropshire and Berwickshire, Greenvale AP packs and distributes 600,000 tonnes of potatoes each year to retailers, caterers and food manufacturers all over the UK and Europe.
In addition, subsidiary Greenvale Foods, based in Wisbech, manufactures cooked potato products including chips and mashed potato.
Greenvale Foods uses a number of different varieties of potato, including Maris Piper, Vales Emerald and Lady Balfour.
The latter is available exclusively from Greenvale AP and is the only variety of potato specifically bred for organic production. It is particularly resistant to disease.
The success of Greenvale AP is due in part to its progressive philosophy, which sees it work in partnership with many leading research centres.
The company has also developed many innovative storage and natural pest control technologies.
It serves all sectors of the food industry, from Tesco to independent retailers, restaurants and food manufacturers all over Europe.
Protecting the environment is a priority for Shropshire’s.
It has integrated the conservation of a wide variety of species, including skylarks and pipistrelle bats into the management of its farms.
Shropshire’s also utilises planting and irrigation systems which increase energy efficiency and reduce the use of water, fertilisers and crop protection products.
Greenvale AP
OVER the last 40 years Greenvale AP has grown to become a leading supplier of fresh potatoes,
From March, in the heart of the Fens, and two other sites in Shropshire and Berwickshire, Greenvale AP packs and distributes 600,000 tonnes of potatoes each year to retailers, caterers and food manufacturers all over the UK and Europe.
In addition, subsidiary Greenvale Foods, based in Wisbech, manufactures cooked potato products including chips and mashed potato.
Greenvale Foods uses a number of different varieties of potato, including Maris Piper, Vales Emerald and Lady Balfour. The latter is available exclusively from Greenvale AP and is the only variety of potato specifically bred for organic production. It is particularly resistant to disease.
The success of Greenvale AP is due in part to its progressive philosophy, which sees it work in partnership with many leading research centres.
The company has also developed many innovative storage and natural pest control technologies.
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