UPDATED PRESS RELEASE; 30th September 2010
COLCHESTER & NE ESSEX FRIENDS OF THE EARTH
01206/383123
LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE AND ORGANIC FARMING FOR A HEALTHY PLANET IS THREATENED BY INTENSIVE DAIRY INDOOR FACTORY-FARMING WITH IMPORTED CATTLE-FEED
Photo opportunity 12.15pm Friday 1st October, at Colchester Farmers Market, Arts Centre, Church Street, Colchester, CO1 1NT: Colchester's LibDem MP Bob Russell is visiting Colchester Farmers Market to show his support for local farmers, organic farming and the Friends of the Earth sustainable farming bill (EDM 367).
BOB RUSSELL IS ONLY LOCAL MP WHO HAS SIGNED EDM 367 SUPPORTING THE SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK FARMING AND FOOD PRODUCTION BILL WHICH WILL HAVE ITS SECOND READING IN PARLIAMENT ON 12TH NOVEMBER
We congratulate Colchester's LibDem MP Bob Russell who was one of the first signatories for Early Day Motion 367 for the Sustainable Livestock Bill being promoted by MP Robert Flello to go to Committee stage at the Second Reading on the 12th November. The EDM is shown below, with the current list of MP signatories.
No other Essex local MP has so far signed the Early Day Motion 367 for the Sustainable Livestock Bill so we are asking these Conservative MPs with rural Essex constituencies to sign the EDM and attend and support the Second Reading of the Bill on 12th November in Parliament.
We are asking local Tory MPs Bernard Jenkin, Douglas Carswell, John Whittingdale, Pritti Patel and Simon Burns to acknowledge the impacts the livestock sector has on the environment, sign the EDM and support this Bill for the Government to produce a strategy which sets out the policy changes needed to to support a sustainable and thriving UK farming industry and reduce the damage and ensure problems are not simply moved overseas.
Paula Whitney, Co-ordinator for Colchester & North East Essex Friends of the Earth, said:
"Meat and dairy production have a huge effect on climate change and includes the destruction of rainforests for soy feed production to feed livestock in the UK. The Friends of the Earth Food Chain campaign seeks to support planet-friendly non-intensive farming and avoid factory-farming. Sustainable organic farming is best of all and not only avoids the use of toxic and damaging pesticides in our environment and food, but is also the most energy-efficient, saving energy and pollution."
EDM 367
SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK FARMING AND FOOD PRODUCTION
30.06.2010
Flello, Robert
That this House notes that global livestock and animal feed production is currently the most significant worldwide cause of biodiversity loss, with the large-scale conversion of forests and other valuable habitats to produce animal feeds a cause of particular concern; further notes that the sector contributes 18 per cent. of global greenhouse gas emissions and also has impacts on small farms and communities in developing countries who are often forced off their land; congratulates the pioneering farmers in the UK who produce livestock and dairy products using sustainably-produced home-grown feed crops and wildlife-rich pasture, which reduces these damaging impacts and has employment, landscape and biodiversity benefits for the UK, but recognises that many British farmers find current policies and market structures a barrier; and so welcomes the Sustainable Livestock Bill which calls on the Government to produce a strategy that assesses the impacts the livestock sector has on the environment, sets out the policy changes needed to reduce them, ensures problems are not simply moved overseas, and supports a sustainable and thriving UK farming industry.
Signatories to EDM 367 so far:
Flello, Robert
Amess, David
George, Andrew
Walley, Joan
Lucas, Caroline
Goldsmith, Zac
Meacher, Michael
Bottomley, Peter
Horwood, Martin
Sanders, Adrian
Hopkins, Kelvin
Meale, Alan
David, Wayne
Hancock, Mike
Bayley, Hugh
Clark, Katy
Heyes, David
Dobbin, Jim
Flynn, Paul
Caton, Martin
Corbyn, Jeremy
Durkan, Mark
Williams, Stephen
Hames, Duncan
Long, Naomi
Dowd, Jim
Gwynne, Andrew
Illsley, Eric
Brooke, Annette
Burt, Lorely
Hodgson, Sharon
Leech, John
Crockart, Mike
Murphy, Paul
Anderson, David
Smith, Angela C
Havard, Dai
Williamson, Chris
Hoey, Kate
Lloyd, Tony
Brake, Tom
Cunningham, Jim
Riordan, Linda
Alexander, Heidi
Hilling, Julie
Wright, Simon
Munt, Tessa
Ruane, Chris
Skinner, Dennis
Howarth, George
Kaufman, Gerald
Lazarowicz, Mark
Marsden, Gordon
Crausby, David
Farrelly, Paul
Foster, Don
Betts, Clive
Sutcliffe, Gerry
Twigg, Stephen
Cooper, Rosie
McCarthy, Kerry
Morden, Jessica
Mulholland, Greg
Williams, Mark
Gilbert, Stephen
Huppert, Julian
Dakin, Nic
Love, Andrew
Williams, Hywel
Wright, David
Cryer, John
Thurso, John
Main, Anne
Green, Kate
Russell, Bob
Hamilton, David
Beith, Alan
Griffith, Nia
Blomfield, Paul
Onwurah, Chi
Lloyd, Stephen
Singh, Marsha
Brennan, Kevin
Campbell, Ronnie
Field, Frank
Gapes, Mike
Hamilton, Fabian
Stringer, Graham
Watts, Dave
Greenwood, Lilian
Mearns, Ian
Fovargue, Yvonne
Jamieson, Cathy
Cunningham, Tony
Slaughter, Andy
O'Donnell, Fiona
Henderson, Gordon
Mahmood, Shabana
Reid, Alan
Hughes, Simon
Connarty, Michael
Vaz, Valerie
Hood, Jim
Kennedy, Charles
Leslie, Chris
Phillipson, Bridget