'Local food is the recipe for economic success' says MP

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has welcomed a report which suggests that local 'food webs' offer a road to economic success. Tim has argued that Cumbria's unique food offer helps to put the area in the shop window of the world.

The report released this week by the Campaign for Protection of Rural England (CPRE), 'From field to fork: The value of England's local food webs', argues that local food offers a great opportunity to support vibrant town centres and countryside.

The report found that acrossEnglandlocal food outlets serve an estimated 16.3 million customers a week and that local food sales through independent outlets generate £2.7 billion a year for the economy. These outlets support over 100,000 jobs, 61,000 of which are directly attributable to local food sales.

With around 50p in every £1 we spend in shops being spent on food, supporting local enterprises could boost our local economy and bring even more jobs to theSouthLakes.

Tim said: "In Cumbria we are incredibly lucky to have food businesses like the Hawkshead Brewery, Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding Company and brilliant entrepreneurs like Mark and Maria Whitehead. These are wonderful brands that are putting Cumbria is the shop window, but I want the government to do more to support local businesses. We need a credible strategy to grow Britain's farming and food industry."