Article from South East Farmers Magazine 

Kent County Council has launched a new initiative that is aimed at farmers, growers and manufacturers. The "Produced in Kent" scheme will capitalise on a county brand logo and the "Garden of England" theme.

Produced in Kent builds on nine years of experience gained through Kent County Council's support of Kentish Fare, which was designed to bring producers together and to promote speciality food produced in Kent.

Logo labels

Alex King, the County Council's Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said: "The idea is that everything which is produced in Kent - whether it's agricultural, horticultural or a manufactured product - can ultimately have the designation Produced in Kent, and the logo labels can be used on the goods."

He continued by saying, "Kent County Council needs to reassure the customer that the products given the label are without any doubt grown, reared, caught, brewed, made or processed in Kent. In order to give this assurance, farmers and growers will be requested to complete a simple self certification application form to become participants in the Produced in Kent scheme."

Regeneration

Rob Weaver, who has developed the scheme as part of KCC Environment and Economy's Regeneration Framework - Kent Prospects - explained that applicants need to confirm that they are genuine growers or producers and meet the agreed criteria. He will be assessing the applications with assistance from Kent Trading Standards, who will ensure that the criteria are being met. Once accepted as part of the scheme, information about the produce or product will be placed on the Produced in Kent web site and promoted through the marketing campaign, which is designed to raise awareness of the scheme.

Kent Identity

"The Produced in Kent scheme, with its clear brand, is giving Kent producers an identity," said Mr King. "Kent, the Garden of England is well known across England and Europe. We should maximise the opportunity to use the county's name."

A little red tractor logo is already used by the NFU to promote UK food, but Mr King argues that putting the Produced in Kent brand on goods will send an even more powerful message to shoppers. He said: "We know that if there is one county name in this country that is associated in people's minds with quality and beauty, it is Kent as the Garden of England. We want to build on that."

Much of the thinking behind the scheme was inspired by Sir Don Curry's report on the future of farming and food. "The Curry report stressed the importance of supporting local growers, and that's exactly what we are trying to do," said Mr Weaver. "Sir Don also talked about reducing food miles and trying to ensure local produce is sold in local pubs, shops and other outlets. These issues are important for us, too."

Mike Harrison, a Kent County Councillor for Whitstable East said: "It is important that Produced in Kent promotes goods across the county, to Europe and other countries, as well as to the rest of the UK. If this brand becomes as well known as the lion on British eggs, we will be onto a winner. We must make Kentish goods the first choice of the retail market."

Coppice fencing

As an example of the scheme's breadth, Mr Harrison cited the county's coppicing industry. "Coppice fencing is making a come-back. We used to send coppice all the way to South Wales, now the coppice fencing is being used productively here in Kent and there is no reason why the fencing should not have the Produced in Kent logo branded onto every panel, for example."

Supermarkets

Looking further ahead, Mr King said that supermarkets in Europe will soon see that the Produced in Kent brand has enough power in it to merit putting Kentish goods on their shelves. In the UK, this is happening already: Safeway took 250,000 apples in packs of six with the logo, and ASDA have taken 100,000 punnets of strawberries produced on Andrew Boxall`s farm near Sutton Valence in Kent.

Vegetable producer

There are ongoing development discussions with A V Produce Ltd - a big vegetable producer who supplies the supermarkets. In 2001, 65% of all the UK apples supplied to supermarkets came from Kent. Safeways, through Mansfield Farms, are already supporting Produced in Kent.Local retailers are also supporting the scheme. J.C.Rook and Sons are using this brand to promote Kentish meat, and it is being used by local producers and growers who attend farmers markets, so the scheme is for all companies - large and small. The Produced in Kent brand will allow them to give even more support to a sector that has been badly dented in the last few years.

You can find a copy of the self certification, Produced in Kent, form on the www.producedinkent.co.uk web site.