Industry body the Provision Trade Federation (PTF) has unveiled a raft of improvements to its services, including a “dedicated home” for under represented cheese producers, importers and exporters.

Speaking on Thursday (26 February) at the PTF’s annual dinner, chairman Andy Smith said a renewed strategy for the organisation would bolster market information for bacon and pigmeat members, and improve issues management for its yoghurt and goat dairy members, while a wider cheese remit would allow it to better represent the entire cheese sector.

With products supplied by PTF members accounting for almost 16% of household expenditure on food in the UK, Smith said “our industry needs strong, responsive and dedicated representation” to help drive export growth and “challenge inaccurate and outdated views of our sector”.

“Our vision is that PTF will be a powerful, expertly staffed and growing representative organisation which is recognised by regulators, politicians, media, NGOs and industry as the authoritative voice of the provisions trade,” he added.

In broadening its scope to encompass the whole cheese sector, the federation was “catering for a real need” for better and focused representation, added director general Terry Jones.

“We have more members who supply cheese to the UK market than any other trade association”, he said, with the creation of the new division the result of demands “from members and non-members to create a dedicated home for the category”.

It will focus on supplying market information and lobbying on behalf of the cheese industry, particularly smaller suppliers, added Jones, with a number of businesses looking to leave other bodies to join the PTF already.

Andy Smith also used his speech to warn against an anti-trading sentiment which was becoming increasingly prevalent as the government and the likes of the National Farmers Union ramped up its export and self-sufficiency rhetoric.

“All too often I hear commentators and even Ministers run down trading, deride long supply chains or describe as a disgrace the fact that we import products,” he said.

He suggested that the UK could not pursue an expansionist export policy for British food without accepting that some foods were imported, and warned consumers needed to have choice.

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