DEFRAshadow has little faith in food commission
DEFRAshadow has little faith in food commission
By Isabel Davies
THE Conservative Party is considering setting up an alternative food and farming policy commission because of serious concerns about the governments own investigation.
Shadow DEFRA secretary Peter Ainsworth has indicated that he doubts whether the governments commission will achieve much, given its timetable and make-up.
The commission, chaired by Sir Donald Curry, has been asked to advise the government on the creation of a sustainable, competitive and diverse farming industry before the end of the year.
Mr Ainsworth told FARMERS WEEKLY that if the government was not prepared to get open dialogue going the opposition could be forced to set up another commission.
"It is something we are looking a very seriously because of the huge inadequacies that people are telling us about the one [commission] the government has set up. Nobody has a good word to say about it.
"There are no environment groups on it, the NFU isnt on it and the CLA isnt on it."
Mr Ainsworth said he would envisage the group as being independent and given enough time to do the subject justice.
"It would maybe report some time next year after filtering the ideas through a much wider panel, preferably a much more representative panel of rural businesses, the countryside and food production."
Addressing the main conference on Tuesday (Oct 10), shadow agriculture minister Ann Winterton said the Tory Party would stand behind British farmers because they were vital to the UK as an island nation.
"Just as we stand shoulder to shoulder with our armed services who protect our freedoms and democracy so we, as Conservatives, stand shoulder to shoulder with our farmers, fishermen and rural communities who guard and maintain our environment and countryside for the benefit of us all," she said.
Mrs Winterton said one of the reasons agriculture was so important was that it formed the basis of both the food processing and tourism industries.
"Agriculture is worth over £6bn to the UK economy but on that bedrock rests both the food processing industry and tourism, each worth ten times more to the economy."
She urged the government to bow to pressure on the issue of a full, public inquiry into foot-and-mouth and to apply for agrimoney aid available for the arable sector.
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