The first sign of whether HM government will put its money where its mouth has often been, and cough up enough cash to fund a radical shake up of agri-food and the rural economy, is imminent.
Yet, sadly, I could find nobody along the food chain this week who believed Gordon Brown would deliver sufficient money to help implement the Curry Commission proposals. Indeed, many are questioning the government's commitment to the future of UK Farming and Food plc.
Given that scenario, industry leaders must lose no opportunities to ensure that Messrs Blair and Brown realise this is not another occasion merely just for grinning photo opportunities outside Number 10. Positive action to help back a sustainable, competitive and diverse sector is vital, and the sooner the better.
But while on the subject of food politics, it is appropriate in this, my last leader, to thank those whose antics have provided me with so much rich material.
That's got to include the crackpot wing of the otherwise honourable organics lobby; misguided multiple spin doctors who insist the best way to promote their companies is to peddle daft stunts to the Mail on Sunday; not to mention intellectually challenged PR teams who waste clients' cash by sending five copies of the same press release to five members of our team.
Then there's the smug BBC pundits who insist that UK Grocery plc begins and ends in Harrods food hall; a certain Mr Byers (once of the DTI); tabloid hacks who write about grocery using a two word lexicon  food and cancer; former French minister for arrogance Jean Glavany; and, finally, a brace of top industry officials whose inferiority complexes have all too often blurred their organisations' objectives.
I'm back in the business, wearing a new William Reed hat, in August. But, meanwhile, a sunny Caribbean beach beckons a location where I hope to avoid all of the aforesaid groups. But then, you never know in this trade. That's what has made it so interesting.
{{OPINION }}
Yet, sadly, I could find nobody along the food chain this week who believed Gordon Brown would deliver sufficient money to help implement the Curry Commission proposals. Indeed, many are questioning the government's commitment to the future of UK Farming and Food plc.
Given that scenario, industry leaders must lose no opportunities to ensure that Messrs Blair and Brown realise this is not another occasion merely just for grinning photo opportunities outside Number 10. Positive action to help back a sustainable, competitive and diverse sector is vital, and the sooner the better.
But while on the subject of food politics, it is appropriate in this, my last leader, to thank those whose antics have provided me with so much rich material.
That's got to include the crackpot wing of the otherwise honourable organics lobby; misguided multiple spin doctors who insist the best way to promote their companies is to peddle daft stunts to the Mail on Sunday; not to mention intellectually challenged PR teams who waste clients' cash by sending five copies of the same press release to five members of our team.
Then there's the smug BBC pundits who insist that UK Grocery plc begins and ends in Harrods food hall; a certain Mr Byers (once of the DTI); tabloid hacks who write about grocery using a two word lexicon  food and cancer; former French minister for arrogance Jean Glavany; and, finally, a brace of top industry officials whose inferiority complexes have all too often blurred their organisations' objectives.
I'm back in the business, wearing a new William Reed hat, in August. But, meanwhile, a sunny Caribbean beach beckons a location where I hope to avoid all of the aforesaid groups. But then, you never know in this trade. That's what has made it so interesting.
{{OPINION }}
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