[P2P-F] Fwd: [NetworkedLabour] Fwd: [foodsovUK discussion list] Update - Polish Food and Farmers

Sat Jan 23 19:59:25 CET 2016

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anna Harris <anna at shsh.co.uk>
Date: Sat, Jan 23, 2016 at 10:47 PM
Subject: [NetworkedLabour] Fwd: [foodsovUK discussion list] Update - Polish
Food and Farmers
To: "networkedlabour at lists.contrast.org" <networkedlabour at lists.contrast.org
>

Begin forwarded message:

*From:* "Fundacja ICPPC" <biuro at icppc.pl>
*Date:* 22 January 2016 at 12:43:14 GMT
*To:* <foodsov.uk.coordination at lists.riseup.net>
*Subject:* *[foodsovUK discussion list] Update - Polish Food and Farmers*
*Reply-To:* "Fundacja ICPPC" <biuro at icppc.pl>

"Direct From the Farmer" Gains Ground!

The new government in Poland is responding to our campaign to free-up the
drastically repressive food and hygiene regulations that have dogged the
Country’s small and medium sized farmers for decades. Up until now,
governments have outlawed the sale of on-farm processed foods unless
farmers establish their operations as a separate business and in a separate
hygienically sanitised building; something that is unaffordable to the
great majority of small farmers  whose holdings typically range from
between 3 and 10 hectares.
However, an International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside
campaign to change this position and to free-up Poland’s 1.3 million small
family farms to operate autonomously - and to direct-sell their produce
locally - is gaining momentum and is not, thus far, seen as being at odds
with the agenda of the new government.
ICPPC has now produced a Charter for Real Food (see below) which outlines
the key factors essential to maintaining both food security and food
sovereignty in Poland. The Charter has already been signed by a significant
number of farmers, organizations and individuals and has been sent to
parliamentarians and to the Minister of Agriculture and The Environment.
At the same time we are writing a new Act ourselves, in close consultation
with other farmers. The Act will spell-out conditions for a farmer-friendly
supply and demand market, critical to the survival of family farming
traditions in Poland. In this, we have been fortunate to have the support
of the new chairman of the Agricultural Committee (Jaroslaw Sachajko) in
the Sejme (Polish parliament) who is a prominent member of the Kukis'15
movement which attracted 12% of the vote in the recent (October 2015)
elections. Working closely with Sachajko has enabled us to form the wording
of the new Act into the necessary legal terminology to be presented to
parliament.
It is noteworthy that the government is open for such a ‘citizen led’
initiative. However, hammering out the exact wording among a group farmers
and supportive consumers is a tough undertaking; but one which Jadwiga has
taken-on with determination.
For those who have followed the story:
The European Commission stated outright, back in 2001, that it is the EU’s
intention to eradicate the peasant farming tradition in Poland - and no
doubt anywhere else where it survives - and to restructure its agriculture
by merging small farms into large scale enterprises able to ‘be competitive
in the world market’. We all know what that means: large scale agrochemical
monoculture exporting commodities onto the highly volatile global market
place.  Whatever emerges in 2016, we remain committed to helping ‘hold the
Polish line’ made up as it is of small and medium sized independent family
farms forming both the bedrock and backbone of the nation’s essential food
security and sovereignty. Let’s hope that the fruits of this ongoing
struggle ultimately be felt far beyond Poland’s borders.

You can donate to ICPPC's activities here
http://icppc.pl/index.php/en/support-us.html

Many thanks!

Jadwiga Lopata and Julian Rose
==========================
ICPPC - International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside,
34-146 Stryszow 156, Poland tel./fax +48 33 8797114  biuro at icppc.pl
www.icppc.pl   www.gmo.icppc.pl   www.eko-cel.pl
Julian's website ABOUT BOOK: www.julianrose.info

              Charter for Real Food

In respect for the fine tradition of peasant and family farming that
uniquely maintains the rich and productive biodiversity of the Polish
Countryside and some of the finest farm foods available in Europe, we (the
below) call upon the government to put into immediate affect the points
stated  in this 'Charter for Real Food'

*  That special dispensation is given to small and medium sized independent
family farms to process and sell their home raised and home processed
farmhouse foods without being required to comply with inappropriate and
unnecessary hygiene and sanitary conditions designed for large commercial
businesses.

*  That recognition and support is given to the vital role that small and
medium sized independent family farms play in protecting and maintaining
the vital food sovereignty and food security of the nation's primary food
supply.

*  That equally, recognition and support is given to the key role that
small and medium-sized  family farms play in protecting the essential
biodiversity of nature that characterises the special quality of the Polish
Countryside.

*  That consumers, requiring good quality natural foods in order to
maintain a robust and long lasting natural health, are given ample
opportunity to choose to buy such foods from within their local communities.

*  That, following on from this, small shops, schools, local restaurants
and markets are not restricted or prohibited from purchasing a fully
diverse range of local foods from (good) local farmers.

*  That further to this, consumers are encouraged to understand the
superior health value of local fresh and flavourful foods that maintain
their full complement of natural vitamins and nutrients.
*  That a sincere effort is made to catalyse a renaissance of 'real food
from real farmers', the benefits of which will extend to a rejuvenation of
local rural economies and a flowering of the arts and culture of the Polish
Countryside.

*  That the government, gives ample opportunity to young and aspiring
farmers, to rent productive land currently held by government agencies, for
the purpose of maintaining a career in farming both now and in perpetuity
for their children.

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