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Farmers say sell more British products Farmers say sell more British products
(35 minutes later)
Farming leaders are urging supermarkets to stop scouring the world for the cheapest food.Farming leaders are urging supermarkets to stop scouring the world for the cheapest food.
At the National Farmers' Union conference president Peter Kendall said supermarkets should source traceable products from British farmers. At the National Farmers' Union (NFU) conference president Peter Kendall said supermarkets should source traceable products from British farmers.
Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said farmers should not be tarnished by criminals' fraudulent activities over the horsemeat scandal.Environment Secretary Owen Paterson said farmers should not be tarnished by criminals' fraudulent activities over the horsemeat scandal.
Earlier the head of Tesco pledged to bring meat production "closer to home." Earlier, the head of Tesco pledged to bring meat production "closer to home."
Philip Clarke, who is to address the conference in Birmingham later, told the BBC he would work more closely with British farmers in response to the horsemeat scandal. Philip Clarke, who later addressed the conference in Birmingham, told the BBC he would work more closely with British farmers in response to the horsemeat scandal.
He told the conference: "Where it is reasonable to do so, we will source from British producers. As a first step I announce that from July all of our fresh chicken must come from UK farmers. No exceptions.
"And we will move over time to make sure all our chicken in all our products, fresh or frozen, is from the British Isles."
Close to homeClose to home
In other developments:In other developments:
  • Furniture company Ikea said it was withdrawing wiener sausages in the UK after tests found "indications" of horse meat
  • Cardiff and Pembrokeshire Councils have withdrawn all mince products from schools, care homes and day centres after horsemeat was found in a supplier's products
  • A poll for the NFU suggested more than three-quarters of people wanted supermarkets to stock more food from British farms. Some 43% of the 1,000 people surveyed said they were more likely to buy food traceable from UK farms
  • Furniture company Ikea said it was withdrawing wiener sausages in the UK after tests found "indications" of horse meat
  • Cardiff and Pembrokeshire Councils have withdrawn all mince products from schools, care homes and day centres after horsemeat was found in a supplier's products
  • A poll for the NFU suggested more than three-quarters of people wanted supermarkets to stock more food from British farms. Some 43% of the 1,000 people surveyed said they were more likely to buy food traceable from UK farms
Mr Kendall told farmers supermarkets had put "damaging pressure" on processors to force down food prices, but processors were responsible because "they should have told the retailers to get stuffed, that you can't do eight burgers for a pound".Mr Kendall told farmers supermarkets had put "damaging pressure" on processors to force down food prices, but processors were responsible because "they should have told the retailers to get stuffed, that you can't do eight burgers for a pound".
He said: "If there's one single message that's come from the horsemeat scandal, it's that our consumers want to know their food is coming from as close as home as possible."He said: "If there's one single message that's come from the horsemeat scandal, it's that our consumers want to know their food is coming from as close as home as possible."
Environment Secretary Mr Paterson told the conference the substitution of beef for horsemeat in a number of products "had shaken consumer confidence".Environment Secretary Mr Paterson told the conference the substitution of beef for horsemeat in a number of products "had shaken consumer confidence".
"I am determined that this criminal activity should be stopped and that anyone who has defrauded the customer must feel the full force of the law," he said."I am determined that this criminal activity should be stopped and that anyone who has defrauded the customer must feel the full force of the law," he said.
He said out of 3,654 tests carried out on beef products in the UK, only 35 have tested positive for horsemeat, a rate of less than 1%.He said out of 3,654 tests carried out on beef products in the UK, only 35 have tested positive for horsemeat, a rate of less than 1%.
Their comments came after Mr Clarke said Tesco had introduced a new testing process and from July all chicken sold in its UK stores would be from British farms. Their comments came after Mr Clarke said Tesco had introduced a new testing process.
He told the BBC he could not guarantee "right now today" that all of Tesco's products contained exactly what was on the label, but said "that is our objective." Speaking prior to his speech to the NFU, he told the BBC he could not guarantee "right now today" that all of Tesco's products contained exactly what was on the label, but said "that is our objective."
"I'm sure that we will be able to say that in the future, once the testing regime is completely in place.""I'm sure that we will be able to say that in the future, once the testing regime is completely in place."
He said out of 300 tests they had completed three had shown products which were "most susceptible" to horsemeat contamination. "Most of them are fine" he said, but "three is too many."He said out of 300 tests they had completed three had shown products which were "most susceptible" to horsemeat contamination. "Most of them are fine" he said, but "three is too many."
The horsemeat scandal emerged in mid-January, when Irish food inspectors announced they had found traces of horsemeat in some frozen beefburgers stocked by UK supermarkets including Tesco, Iceland and Lidl.The horsemeat scandal emerged in mid-January, when Irish food inspectors announced they had found traces of horsemeat in some frozen beefburgers stocked by UK supermarkets including Tesco, Iceland and Lidl.
Mr Clarke said his supermarket's testing regime on meat to ensure it was beef was the "most comprehensive" he had seen.Mr Clarke said his supermarket's testing regime on meat to ensure it was beef was the "most comprehensive" he had seen.
As for meat production, he said they do buy some products, particularly frozen ones, out of Europe, but as "we can we'll bring it closer to home".As for meat production, he said they do buy some products, particularly frozen ones, out of Europe, but as "we can we'll bring it closer to home".
He added: "I hope that it doesn't mean price increases, but I can't stand here today and tell you that it won't."He added: "I hope that it doesn't mean price increases, but I can't stand here today and tell you that it won't."
Chief executive of Sainsbury's Justin King said his supermarket was committed to doubling the amount of British food it sold by 2020.Chief executive of Sainsbury's Justin King said his supermarket was committed to doubling the amount of British food it sold by 2020.