Groceries code adjudicator deserves more power | Letters

Christine Tacon's firm hand is bringing results but many farmers still fall foul of unfair practice, say Kerry McCarthy MP, Lindsey Macdonald of NFU Scotland and 11 other signatoriesFarmers at home and those in developing countries are waiting with bated breath for the government to rule on expanding the role of the groceries code adjudicator, Christine Tacon. Ms Tacon has wielded her ombudsman role to impose sanctions on supermarkets for failures to play fair with suppliers - and her firm hand is bringing results. But many farmers growing food for our tables still fall foul of unfair practice.Late cancellations to orders - the equivalent of ordering a meal only to walk out as it arrives at the table - leave piles of unwanted fruit and veg rotting on compost heaps instead of filling our shopping baskets. Ahead of the government's call for evidence we interviewed banana farmers who received late order changes four weeks out of five, leading to additional costs in an industry notorious for tight margins and difficult working conditions. Late payments also cost farmers money. One group of UK dairy farmers has found itself out of pocket by up to ?14,000 per farm since 2015 because of a two-week delay to payments imposed on them by their milk purchaser. Continue reading...