Post-FMD cash boost announced in UK

Funding of £3m has today been announced in Britain to help restore consumer confidence in the food and drink industry left badly damaged by the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The UK export marketing agency Food from Britain, has been handed the cash from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

It will use the funding to re-establish lost business by communicating to consumers and trade bodies both in this country and overseas.

Around £1.7m will be directed at supporting regional speciality foods, particularly hard hit by the foot-and-mouth outbreak.

£1.3m will be used to rebuild overseas sales for the country’s food exporters.

Food from Britain chief executive David McNair said: ‘‘The UK’s food and drink industry has been hard hit by the foot-and-mouth crisis, with not only a loss of business in the meat and dairy areas but also a loss of confidence across the board in our food safety and quality.

‘‘This additional funding will help rebuild consumer and trade confidence in the quality of our food as well as highlighting its richness and regional diversity.

‘‘Our food and drink industry was starting to show signs of recovery for the first time in three years, with last year to December 2000 holding steady at £8.8 billion and the first four months of this year showing a 5% growth.

‘‘We are keen to ensure this upward trend continues and this funding will ensure that markets lost due to foot-and-mouth export bans can recover quickly as the trading restrictions are lifted.’’

Food from Britain will carry out in-depth attitude research in major international markets to find out the public and trade perceptions of UK food and drink.

It will also increase its presence at international food and drink exhibitions throughout this year and next.

A host of regional food and tourism initiatives are being launched both nationally and locally to highlight regional produce and food production Food from Britain said.