The CLA Food Chain Initiative and Just Ask

What is the Food Chain Initiative?

The CLA’s policy to promote the quality and integrity of regional and local food.

Raising the awareness of consumers, policy makers and retailers to the importance of food to the well-being of the countryside.

Making the link between high standards of production and health, a well-managed environment and successful rural economies.

Other CLA Food articles

• Latest news releases
• Consultation responses
• Advisory handbooks
• Guidance notes

What are the problems?

• The retailer dominance of the food supply chain,
• Ineffective Government action,
• No clear labelling policy,
• Protection of British food is confused and short-term,
• Red tape stifling innovation and expansion,
• Harmful effects on the environment due to food miles.

Finding the practical solutions

• The focus must be on promoting regional and local food.
• Creating an independent ombudsman for the food chain to protect producers and suppliers.
• Introducing a clearer labelling system in the UK so consumers know what they are buying.
• Promoting the EU system that protects the quality of regional and local foods.
• Better advice and support for rural business hampered by red tape.
• Greater communication between regulator and regulated.

Supporting rural business

• Putting in place a partnership with regional food groups, the regional public sector and other trade associations.
• Using new technology to improve efficiencies in the food chain.

CLA Food Chain Initiative – going from strength to strength!

The CLA's Just Ask campaign encourages the public to ask where the food on their plate comes from whenever they eat out. It aims to stimulate consumers to choose locally-produced, seasonal food.

View the Just Ask Campaign page.

Food - Latest news releases

The CLA and food labelling
The current horsemeat scandal shows the importance of accurate labelling.
[19 February 2013]

CLA congratulates Tacon on appointment as supermarket ombudsman
The CLA has congratulated Christine Tacon on her appointment as Groceries Code Adjudicator.
[21 January 2013]

CLA pledges support to Green Food Project
The CLA has pledged its support to the Green Food Project which will be launched by the Government today (10 July).
[10 July 2012]

Food - Consultation responses

CLA response to the OFT
The CLA is supporting the Office of Fair Trading's (OFT) proposal to make a market referral for supermarkets to be investigated by the Competition Commission. However, the CLA believes that this is a unique opportunity for the Competition Commission to...
[19 April 2006]

Food - Advisory handbooks

CLA62 - The food chain and adding value to your business
This advisory handbook examines a number of important inter-linking areas in the food chain.
[1 December 2011]

CLA47 - Food Safety Management Tools in the Food Chain
Food Safety Management Tools in the Food Chain examines the application of food management controls, such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), in ensuring that the product that reaches the consumer is safe and traceable.
[22 April 2008]

CLA46 - EU Protected Status for Food Products
The European Union’s system for granting special status for regional and local food gives the consumer full information about the origin of a particular product and gives the producer a distinct marketing advantage.
[22 April 2008]

Food - Guidance notes

GN01-06-Requirements under the Poultry Register
The Great Britain Poultry Register launched by Defra, the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government, aims to provide a central database of information on poultry premises.  This information will only be used for preventing and controlling...
[16 February 2006]

GN18-05 Enforcement of Avian Influenza Controls
This Guidance Note sets out what the powers available to DEFRA in the event of an outbreak on Avian Flu. DEFRA has produced a lot of useful, practical, information on its website concerning biosecurity and related matters. Nevertheless we remember FMD...
[10 November 2005]