County MP in call to back local farmers

Theo Clarke said she was pushing local produce in a bid to highlight the "crucial role" that farmers play in protecting the countryside and feeding the nation.

The Conservative MP for Stafford highlighted her campaign as she hosted a Westminster Hall debate to mark Back British Farming Day.

In a speech she said British farmers worked tirelessly to feed the nation, and said it was clear there was public demand for easier access to British farming products.

Her campaign for every supermarket to have an aisle for the British Isles, she said, would make it more convenient for consumers to buy fresh locally produced food.

She also pressed Farming Minister Victoria Prentis on a number of issues concerning Staffordshire farmers, including the need for sufficient fruit and vegetable pickers and the importance of the government providing certainty over the seasonal workers scheme.

Ms Clarke, who is co-chair of the all-party group on fruit, vegetable and horticulture, said: "I was delighted to host the Back British Farming Day debate in Parliament, highlighting the critical role that Staffordshire farmers play in protecting our countryside and feeding the nation.

"I raised the importance of buying local produce and my campaign for all supermarkets to have an aisle for the British Isles.

"Following my visit to a local farm and my recent meeting with Staffordshire farmers, I raised many of their points with the Farming Minister and I urged the government to provide farmers with certainty over the seasonal workers scheme.

"I will continue to back British farmers and represent Stafford agricultural businesses in Westminster."

Mrs Prentis said the Government was committed to working closely with supermarkets "to ensure that buying local and buying sustainable become the watchwords of the future".

Ms Clarke also used the debate to call on ministers to "act quickly" on compensating people who were being impacted by the controversial HS2 project.