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project title:
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South Downs Branding |
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region:
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West/East Sussex, Hampshire |
contact:
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Neil Hill e-mail: nhill@southdowns-aonb.gov.uk Chris Clark e-mail: chris.clark@fjd.co.uk address: SDJC, Victorian Barn, Ford Lane, Ford, West Sussex, BN18 0EF website: http://www.sdmltd.co.uk |
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country:
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United Kingdom | ||
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The project
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main goals:
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- Creating a sustainable market for locally
produced goods with the highest standards of animal welfare and
ecological management. - Ensuring this market has long-term viability for the benefit of local communities. - Maintaining and recreating landscapes of cultural and natural importance. - Reconnecting producers and consumers within the food chain. |
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main participants:
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SDJC, Local Government, Central Government, Interreg/Lifescapes, South Downs Marketing Ltd. | ||
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time schedule:
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5 years | ||
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project details:
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1. The primary aim of the project is
to safeguard and sustainably manage the delicate environmental balance
of the South Downs by promoting grazing by lamb and beef. The decline
in the traditional habitats of the South Downs has reached worrying
levels, with only 3% now remaining as chalk grassland. Sympathetic
grazing is vital to secure the long-term future protection of this
nationally important landscape, but the viability of this unique
area to support its eco-systems is under serious and constant threat. 2. During 2005 South Downs Marketing Ltd (SDML) successfully established itself as broker, promoter and marketor of lamb from the South Downs, delivering, on average, 115 lambs per week to independent butchers. 2006 has seen an increase in lamb sales to nearly 200 lambs per week and the introduction of an indigenous beef breed cross to the SDML product mix. 3. SDML is based around sustainable farming and supply chain collaboration. 4. Since the start of the company in March 2005, SDML has developed the business that includes a committed core of 17 farmers and 30 butchers, all supplying or buying Southdown or Hampshire Down cross lamb and Sussex cross cattle. 5. The expected outputs of the project are:o An increased profitability for producers and retailers;o An increased use of the South Downs for low density grazing;o Positive employment implications as the project goes forward;o Re-connecting farmers with their customers; o Enabling farmers to develop additional skills to try and ensure more economic viability and be less dependent on agri-support. |
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budget:
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€ 280 000 |
funded by:
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Interreg IIIb |
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Benefits
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ecological benefits:
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- Maintaining and recreating landscapes
of cultural and natural importance. - Reconnecting producers and consumers within the food chain. |
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socio-economic benefits:
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- Creating a sustainable market for locally produced goods with
the highest standards of animal welfare and ecological management. This project will help to secure extra leverage for investment from both the public and the private sector. Once the brand has been established we envisage it being rolled out to other regions, which will attract money from Defra and the County Councils. Private sector companies are already expressing an interest in the Branding exercise should this Lifescapes project provide proof of concept |
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other benefits:
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none | ||
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Pictures
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 The South Downs |
 Wild Basil |
 Grass snake |
 South Downs sheep |
 South Downs lambs |
 Cropped calves |