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WILLIAMS CALLS FOR ETHICAL AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD PROCUREMENT
November 3, 2009 12:42 PM
Taking part in a Westminster Hall debate today on Public Procurement and Farm Animal Welfare, Roger Williams, MP for Brecon and Radnorshire and Liberal Democrat Shadow Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson, called on the Government to ensure that public food procurement comes from ethical sources without negatively impacting upon the profitability of British farming.
Speaking after the debate, Mr Williams said:
"Britain has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world and one way that public bodies could guarantee they use ethically produced food would be to procure food produced within the UK wherever possible.
"Not only would this provide benefits the UK Agricultural sector and the communities within which they operate, but it would also reduce the impact on climate change associated with food miles.
"The public also have a role to play in this. If companies and organisations see that individuals are calling for food that is produced to a higher welfare standard then they will adapt accordingly.
"It is important that any moves to improve the levels of animal welfare within the UK are undertaken across the EU and not unilaterally.
"To raise British animal welfare standards without similar steps being taken by other EU producers could have the opposite effect on animal welfare. Apart from potentially making British farming uncompetitive, it could in fact result in food being procured that, although cheaper, has been produced at an even lower level than it is at present.
"The Government should do all it can to ensure that strict animal welfare standards are looked at across the EU and that taxpayers money is used to source local, ethical and sustainable food by all Government departments and local authorities."
NOTES:
This issue particularly applies to eggs produced by chickens in battery cages. More and more free range chicken sheds are being built in Brecon and Radnorshire and it is important that these facilities with higher welfare standards are not undercut by cheap foreign imports produced in poor welfare conditions.
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