Women of provenance

Heather Jenkins has a job title that arguably has the longest title in the Partnership.

As Director, Buying (with responsibility for Meat, Poultry, Fish, Frozen Food and Dairy) and Director, Agriculture Strategy (Waitrose) she must have got used to taking a deep breath before introducing herself at industry functions.

Lengthy title aside, it's a role that has become critical as the impact of climate change on the planet's future food supplies moves to the top of many governments' agendas.

Heather is confident that Waitrose already has a 'head start' on finding solutions because of its well-established relationships with suppliers.

These are founded on the highest standards of animal and environmental care and the principle of paying farmers a fair price.

Trust is a key tenet of the way it does business and there is a waiting list of producers who want to join its 30 dedicated livestock schemes.

'We are working with a supply chain model that is already focused on consistency,' says Heather, 'and the main driver there has been to secure our long-term supplies at the right quality and at a competitive price for our customers. We've chosen our suppliers very carefully and worked with some of them for many years.'

Heather, who has been with the business for almost 30 years, is confident that the next 20 years will be a 'great opportunity' for British agriculture.

'Climate change will fundamentally alter the way in which we produce food and conventional and organic agriculture will become closer,' she predicts.

'There will be different approaches for different parts of the world, but there will be more collaboration between the two – and it will be driven by the need to save energy.'

The appliance of science

Water is without doubt 'our most precious resource', she confirms, going on to talk of the work being done by Waitrose's farmers and growers to ensure they use it efficiently. She is also clear about the role that science will play in the future.

'Fewer students are taking up chemistry and biology but there's a huge opportunity for that to change as we combine the world of science and its application with food production,' she says, as climate change offers an incentive to find varieties of crop that can produce good yields in a world with higher temperatures and less water.

'We're challenging ourselves to understand the soil; all our produce suppliers are well advanced in this field. As climate change impacts we could also see a shift in where we're able to grow certain crops.'

Sourcing apprentice

Waitrose is also trying to help farmers as they tackle another important issue: succession planning. Farmers are leaving the profession in increasing numbers as they become unable to make a living and this, coupled with a skills shortage, is causing a crisis of confidence in the future.

Many of the younger generation no longer see farming as a viable career, leaving some farmers with no one to hand their farms over to when they retire. It's a worrying trend, especially as the average age of a UK farmer is now 58; however, Heather is clear that their future is Waitrose's future and is proud that, at 45, the average age of a Waitrose farmer is considerably less.

She attributes this to the confidence Waitrose has given its suppliers that they can invest for the future and benefit from growing their business with ours, by driving efficiency and consistent quality.

It's not all about the future, though, as Waitrose must also provide its customers with the best quality and value today. Contrary to expectations, the recession hasn't prompted consumers to do a u-turn on their values and Waitrose's higher welfare, sustainably produced assortments (including its wide range of fish) continue to do well.

Last year's launch of essential Waitrose and its ongoing investment in competitive pricing has certainly helped boost sales, but an underlying interest in the source of food – especially in the categories that Heather oversees – is keeping sales ahead.

Farmers have to create and protect wildlife habitats on their farms to be able to supply Waitrose, as well as think ahead about protecting the environment.

They are all members of FWAG (Farm Wildlife Action Group) which supports them in developing environmental plans. All our UK fresh fruit and vegetable growers are LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) accredited and these standards are being rolled out to our overseas suppliers.

'We're now part of a Natural England initiative in southwest England where 150 of our farmers are joining an Indicator Species project with Defra,' says Heather. 'Through that we'll be able to show that the presence of key bird species on our farms shows that biodiversity is being protected.

'It's great to see how committed our livestock farmers and fresh produce growers are to working together to help us secure our future. We're taking a proactive stance because we believe that the balance between production and the environment is crucial. It's the best way to ensure the sustainability of our food supplies.'