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THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW Highlighting best practice 34 | OPENFIELD AGRICULTURE evident in the dairy sector, although an over-supply of milk and poor farm-gate prices made consolidation of one form or another inevitable. Despite this chequered history, there is a desire among the farming community to see a series of strong cooperative businesses with the market scale and strong balance sheets needed to deliver fair returns for members. Openfield, based in Colsterworth, Lincolnshire, has succeeded partly because we have developed some of the most admired examples of supply chain integration in the industry. Our relationships with Warburtons, Britain's best-loved and largest bread baker, British Quality Pigs (BQP) and Waitrose are prime examples of primary producers working to the exacting requirements of a major brand. The faith these brands have in their suppliers is such that they are happy to acknowledge them on their product packaging. However, they would not be able to do this without the support society has for Britain's farmers. For an industry still recovering from the disastrous effects of 'horsegate', the adulteration of meat products for human consumption with horsemeat, being able to demonstrate provenance through the type of supply-chain collaboration we have developed over the past decade is invaluable. For too long provenance and traceability have been little more than marketing buzzwords to be patronised in pursuit of margin. Post-horsegate, such claims are scrutinised carefully, and the integrity of those making them judged accordingly. Restoring consumer confidence in the supply chain is primarily the challenge of government, through the Food Crime Unit, and of the multiple retailers, but the opportunity it presents for farming is not to be overlooked. British food enjoys a world-renowned reputation, and it is only right that our producers and growers share in the fruits of this reputation. At Openfield we see it as part of our responsibility to help capture those rewards on behalf of our members. Each year we typically export about one million tonnes of cereals, oilseeds and pulses to destinations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. In addition, on several occasions over the past few years we have also exported to North America. The ability to export surplus production is vital to addressing agriculture's balance of payments and to maintaining farm incomes. Delivering the promise Achieving favourable returns on behalf of members takes more than just a reputation as a trusted supply-chain partner or access to 17 coastal ports around Great Britain. It is principally about having the right commodity in sufficient quantities in a location that is convenient to the customer. An important part of our proposition, therefore, is the network of 18 farmer- owned central stores across England and Scotland. These have a combined capacity of more than one million tonnes, and further expansion is planned or underway where interest among farmers supports it. Being able to demonstrate provenance through solid supply-chain collaboration is invaluable Our modern seed plant at Colsterworth, near Grantham, uses the very latest seed-processing technology to produce a comprehensive range of cereals, pulses and oilseeds. We are proud suppliers of seeds for which there is an established market demand, meaning that our growers can be confident they will not struggle to market their crop. We also supply a range of quality nutritional products to ensure that growers are able to manage crops that meet yield and quality expectations. Openfield has a close relationship with plant breeders, allowing us to fully evaluate crop needs and assess their end-market potential. ยป M A X I M I S I N G E N D - M A R K E T P O T E N T I A L F O R G R O W E R S