‘Growing’ global food security
12 May 2011 (updated on 12 May 2011)
The House of Lords discussed the contribution British agriculture can make to the future of global food security in a debate on Thursday 12 May.
Topics discussed included:
- food research and development, including agronomy and GM crops, soil sciences and animal husbandry
- trade and export of food
- sustainable intensification
- supermarkets and fair trade in the UK and overseas
- eeg industry
- food assistance to development countries.
Baroness Byford (Conservative) opened the debate.
Other Members of the Lords who contributed to the debate included (use the links below to watch/listen to their contributions):
- Baroness Quin (Labour), Opposition Spokesperson for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Lord Carter of Coles (Labour), Chair of the EU Sub-Committee for Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment and farm owner
- Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Liberal Democrat), former Liberal Democrat spokesperson for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with a strong interest in food security, and farmer
- Lord Marlesford (Conservative), former member of the Rural Development Commission
- Lord Plumb (Conservative), President of the Campden Food Research Association and farmer
- Earl of Shrewsbury and Waterford (Conservative), with a strong political interest in agriculture
- Lord Dixon-Smith (Conservative), farmer and landowner, with a strong political interest in agriculture
Other speakers included Lord Lyell (Conservative), Lord Selsdon (Conservative), the Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench) and the Bishop of Hereford.
Lord Henley (Conservative), responded on behalf of the government.