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Consumers trust farmers more than supermarkets, survey finds
Meat counter
The survey also found that healthiness is more important than the cost for shoppers when it comes to choosing what food to buy.

Healthiness more important than cost

Consumers trust farmers more than supermarkets when it comes to food safety, according to a new report.

Figures from NatCen's British Social Attitudes Survey show that 58 per cent of people trust farmers to make sure food is safe to eat.


In contrast, just 33 per cent of people said they trust the government, while a similar percentage (34 per cent) said they trusted supermarkets.

"This may be because these organisations are viewed as either being motivated by profit either directly or indirectly or it may be the result of food scares," said Caireen Roberts, research director at NatCen Social Research.

The survey also found that healthiness is more important than the cost for shoppers when it comes to choosing what food to buy.

Over 80 per cent said that it matters "a great deal" or "quite a lot." But less than half (47 per cent) said it matters that food cost is low.

Furthermore, the majority of the public said that it matters that food has not gone through a lot of processing (69 per cent). They also said it is important the farmer or grower is paid fairly (58 per cent).

NatCen says that further research will be needed to see whether the public's attitudes change over the coming years.

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.