Lawmakers Visit Pasture-Raised Farms Association in Parliament Halls
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Agroecology for Sustainable Food and Farming organized a Farmers in Parliament event on 19 October 2021, where 'Pasture for Life' farmers met with Defra Minister Lord Gardiner of Kimble and other MPs. The event, which served as a Farmers in Parliament exhibition, saw the participation of 40 MPs, although some were unable to attend.
Among those present were farmers Ian Boyd from the Cotswolds, John Hill from Nottinghamshire, Elizabeth and Tony Bown from Orkney, and Fidelity Weston from Kent, all representing the Pasture for Life Association (PFLA). The PFLA, along with similar organizations, is advocating for specific policy changes post-Brexit to encourage and support "Pasture for Life" farming.
The PFLA's policy recommendations include shifts in subsidy frameworks to favour environmentally sustainable and pasture-based farming, the development of shorter, local food supply chains, clear environmental and health targets fostering pasture-based farming, and improved economic conditions and political support for farmers pursuing Pasture for Life principles.
Moreover, the PFLA is seeking official recognition of 'Pasture for Life' certification in support payment policy and advocating for a review of the definition of grass-fed. They are also calling for the removal of the Specified Risk Material (SRM) rule for cattle over thirty months of age.
The PFLA's voice was amplified beyond the event as 22 of its members contacted their local MPs by email, raising the association's awareness much wider than just those attending the event. Fidelity Weston, a certified 'Pasture for Life' member and PFLA director, expressed satisfaction at being asked to the event and having their voice heard.
The UK government has the opportunity to take an agenda-setting approach to its food and farming legislation and governance. Agroecological principles, policies, and practices across all relevant departments of government are key to building a 21st-century food and farming policy. The PFLA was one of nine organizations that arranged for some of its farmer members to attend the event, and some of its suggestions for changes in policy are appearing in the APPG's opinion paper.
The event provided a platform for productive conversations between MPs and 'Pasture for Life' farmers. The UK government can adopt policies that would make the country more self-reliant, enhance biodiversity, mitigate climate change, support small and family farmers, and encourage new entrants. The article was published on 31 October 2016.
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