MPs throw their weight behind Local Food is Miles Better campaign

Farmers Weekly’s Local Food is Miles Better campaign is winning the support of a growing band of MPs.

Conservative MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswolds) has laid an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons, which has been seconded by shadow DEFRA secretary Peter Ainsworth, along with other shadow spokesmen on agriculture.

The motion highlights FW’s campaign and suggests that buying locally grown food is an excellent way for consumers to reconnect with farmers and develop a better understanding of where their food comes from.

It also calls on supermarkets to promote, stock and label locally-produced food to cut food miles and support local farmers.

Mr Clifton-Brown said:  “The Local Food is Miles Better campaign recognises the importance of local food to our economy, our environment and to British farming.  

“I know that in Gloucestershire, there is vociferous and growing demand for high quality, locally-produced food. 

“It is my hope that this Farmer’s Weekly’s campaign helps to spread this demand nationally, and help people understand how their food is grown.  I am delighted to support the campaign.”

Julian Gairdner, FW’s Food Miles campaign director, said it was a key campaign aim to extend the reach of the food miles message as far as possible. 

“This Early Day Motion is a positive development raising awareness at the heart of the political process to help ensure the public can make informed choices about where their food comes from and that British farmers receive a fairer deal for the quality products they produce.”

The following MPs have already signed the motion:

Mr Geoffrey Clifton-Brown [R], Mr Peter Ainsworth , Mr James Paice [R], Gregory Barker [R], Mr James Gray, Peter Luff , David Taylor, Dr John Pugh, Dr Julian Lewis, Mr Nigel Dodds, Ann Winterton, Sir Nicholas Winterton, Mr Martin Caton, Andrew George, Paul Holmes, Annette Brooke,  Mr Hugo Swire, Bob Spink, Peter Bottomley.