Labour promise ‘level playing field’ for British farmers

Labour promise ‘level playing field’ for British farmers

12 April 2010 | By Jack Davies

THE Labour Party has promised to tackle unfair practices from major retailers and to work hard to ensure British farming is ‘profitable and competitive’ in its election manifesto published today (Monday, April 12).

The manifesto, which sets out the party’s priorities as it tries to woo voters in the General Election, commits to establishing a supermarket ombudsman as well as improving country of origin labelling.

It also commits to wide-ranging CAP reform and a range of green measures including plans to set up a new framework for managing land in the face of environmental pressures.

The commitment to an ombudsman will be welcome, although not entirely unexpected, to farmers and is included as one of 50 promises to the British public should they be elected on May 6 when the country goes to the polls.

The manifesto says: “In order to protect farmers and food suppliers from unfair and uncompetitive practices by major retailers, we will create a Supermarket Ombudsman.

“Consumers have the right to know where food comes from. We are working with the food industry and retailers to ensure proper food labelling, including tougher and clearer ‘country of origin’ information. This will also help to level the playing field for British farmers.”

The manifesto also sets out the Party’s environmental promises, recognising the need for a new way of managing land to safeguard food security while meeting its targets for maintaining the environment and biodiversity.

As well as promising to maintain the area of Green Belt land in the next Parliament, the manifesto also makes a pledge to introduce a framework for land management that will recognise the need to increase food production as well as maintain the natural environment.

It says: “Competing pressures – from greater food production to housing and natural flood defences – are making the management of land resources ever more challenging.

“We will introduce a new framework for managing our land that can more effectively reconcile these pressures.

“We will put forward new areas for protected landscape and habitat status, focusing on green corridors and wildlife networks to link up existing sites. And we will commit to increasing the area covered by forest and woodland.”

The manifesto launch comes the day before The Conservatives are due to launch their election maifesto and farmers will be keen to see what their election promises will be, particularly on Bovine TB after they announced at NFU conference in February they would enact a badger cull should they be elected.

With no mention of the disease in Labour’s manifesto, it could be a key point of difference when farmers go to the polls on May 6.