Tim Farron slams Government's "complacent" approach to the Global Food Crisis

Liberal Democrat MP and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hill Farming Tim Farron has today spoken out against a "complacent" attitude to farming in general and in particular the Global Food Crisis by the Government. Mr Farron spoke out following a reply he received from DEFRA to a written question enquiring i nto the Governments strategy for ensuring security of food supply within the UK. The Government's response was purely a description of the current situation, and did not offer any solutions to what may soon become a very desperate situation.

Commenting, Mr Farron said:

"We already know what constitutes security of food supply right now, but this refusal to answer a straight question shows just how unprepared the Government is for the Global Food Crisis. The crisis is here, and it is serious. Many food products which we take for granted today, such as meat, could become increasingly scarce - and that is without taking into account crops such as rice, which we are already seeing issues with due to an increase in demand from China.

"We do not need more spin such as this on an issue as serious as food security. That the Government do not have a plan to ensure security of our food supply beggars belief, and is complacent at best. This just goes to show how bereft of ideas the Government is, especially when it comes to farming and agriculture, and I will continue campaigning to ensure that we lessen the affects of the Global Food Crisis as much as possible."