Sainsbury‘s is pledging £1 million to its British farmers and growers as part of an investment in the future of British farming.
The Sainsbury‘s 2013 Research and Development Grant, which launched on Wednesday, calls for long term sustainable solutions to improve UK livestock, aquaculture, horticulture and agronomy practices and processes. The grants which are open to over 2,000 farmers and growers that the retailer works with across the UK, comes at a time when growing conditions and prices have become more volatile.
The awarded grants will be made against three priorities:
- Improvement in animal, fish or plant health, nutrition and welfare with a tangible impact on final product quality (where applicable)
- Development of agricultural solutions that deliver sustainable intensification whilst improving quality and securing resilient supply chains.
- Development of new products or processes that improve safety, quality, taste or freshness.
Farming Minister, David Heath said: “Global demand for food is rising to such a degree that agricultural production needs to increase by 60 percent in the next forty years just to catch up. There is no better time to invest in the next generation of technologies that will help us meet this challenge.
“Our food and drink industry trades on the back of a global reputation for quality. I am right behind any initiative that gives British businesses new opportunities to grow economically, employ more people and help Britain compete in the global race.”
Positioned at members of Sainsbury‘s Development Groups, the investment adds to the £1.2 million that was handed out across 14 projects last year.
