Calls for better food labeling intensifies

The CLA has welcomed Secretary of State Hilary Benn’s call at the Oxford Farming Conference for better food labelling information to be made available to the consumer.

CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher said: "The CLA has always insisted that it is vital for the consumer to have far better information regarding the labelling of the food they eat. That is why we launched in 2007, with the help of the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, the CLA’s ’Just Ask’ campaign which encourages the consumer to ask where the food on their plate comes from.

"We welcome the Secretary of State’s comments that he has adopted the CLA’s long held proposal for a voluntary code of practice for country of origin labelling for all primary products. We welcome the opportunity of being part of this project.

"But we believe the Secretary of State can go further by introducing legislation for a compulsory country of origin beef labelling scheme for the food service sector as permitted under EU law and already implemented in France and Ireland."

The CLA President added: "We also welcome and support the Government’s public sector food procurement initiative. The CLA has always recognised the importance of the public sector sourcing food supplies from local suppliers.

"Following the CLA’s public food procurement survey last year, we are well aware that many public and private sector bodies are making the switch to local and seasonal food. However, it needs to be made easier for local suppliers to tender for public sector contracts and the CLA will be issuing some far reaching proposals on this in the near future under the banner of Just Ask."