Hilary Benn warns of dangers of cutting agriculture budgets at 2010 Labour Conference
Speaking at the 2010 Labour Party Conference in Manchester, the shadow environment minister Hilary Benn warned the coalition government that cutting agricultural budgets could be costly and harmful to future food security in the long run. He also said that a focus on farming should be "at the forefront of the political agenda" during impending budget cuts.
Mr Benn - who was the Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs (DEFRA) minister for three years under the former Labour government - spoke to farming and food job professionals at a National Farmers Union (NFU) fringe event at the Labour conference. He said:
Mr Benn's comments were welcomed by the NFU president Peter Kendall, who thanked the shadow environment minister for his refreshing change in language and marked his speech as a "massive move forward" for the industry.
Mr Benn - who was the Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs (DEFRA) minister for three years under the former Labour government - spoke to farming and food job professionals at a National Farmers Union (NFU) fringe event at the Labour conference. He said:
"Farming is a hugely important industry.
"It's our biggest manufacturing industry, it's hugely important to the future of our work and the environmental work farmers do plays a key role in that.
"It is concerning environmental schemes could be hit.
"I want British farming to continue to be successful and the Labour party is committed to working with the NFU and the industry to achieve that."
Mr Benn's comments were welcomed by the NFU president Peter Kendall, who thanked the shadow environment minister for his refreshing change in language and marked his speech as a "massive move forward" for the industry.
Leave a comment