OPINION: 'Time to wake up. British food and farming is in crisis' - South Northamptonshire Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate

MP Andrea Leadsom is completely wrong to welcome trade deals with Pacific nations.

It’s time to put British farmers first, says Stewart Tolley, who is organising an event to highlight the crisis of British food and farming later this month in South Northamptonshire. A ‘Question Time’ style evening will take place at Passenham Tythe Barn, between Towcester and Milton Keynes, with a panel of experts including writer and broadcaster Dominic Dyer, Sean Rickard, former chief economist to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) and Liz Webster, Chair of Save British Farming. “All are welcome because we are all impacted as food prices skyrocket,” says Stewart Tolley.

"Farming and food production is vital to the economy and food security of Britain but it also has a huge impact on wildlife and nature. Britain is one of the most nature depleted nations in the world today and industrial agriculture and livestock production has taken a heavy toll on species and biodiversity in my lifetime. We must enter a new era of farming in Britain which provides food security for the nation but also protects wildlife and the natural world from farm to fork,” says Dominic Dyer, who is one Britain's leading wildlife protection and animal welfare campaigners. “I very much look forward to joining the debate on the future of farming and food production to be held in South Northamptonshire.”

Tolley adds, “There is currently a crisis in food and farming, by talking to local consumers, producers and experts we can help address some of the problems and try and find a way forward. Farming and these industries are so important to rural economies like South Northamptonshire that we cannot allow them to be ignored, as the Westminster government is doing.”

“When MPs like Andrea Leadsom tweet about how grateful we should all be for the CPTPP (Pacific nations) trade deal, she ignores the Department of International Trade’s own analysis of the long term effects are a potential five per cent drop in the value of the semi-processed food sector and a fall in the value of British agriculture. Speaking to farmers in South Northants they are clearly very worried about the impact of substandard foreign produce undercutting them.”

Liz Webster adds, “Time is running out to save our most successful and world beating food system and beautiful countryside. Join us for lively debate and to find out more!”

British Food and Farming Question Time takes place on Friday 30th June at 7pm. Tickets can be booked online here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-challenges-and-opportunities-for-food-and-farming-tickets-639328688317