Scott Collins Backs Lib Dem Call For Fair Trade for British Farmer's.

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 5th Oct 2009

Scott Collins, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for South Northamptonshire , has backed a call by Tim Farron MP for fair trade for British farmer's.

The call comes as farmers see further falls in farm gate prices whilst retail prices have remained static. During a recent speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth Tim Farron MP said "Supermarket greed is forcing farmers out of business. So whilst world food demand is set to double over the next 40 years we are losing the capacity to produce it. This situation is not just immoral, it's completely stupid."

He went on to say ""We have the tragic irony of millions of consumers going to the supermarket each week, going down one aisle and buying fair trade Columbian coffee …and then going down the next aisle and buying the milk to put in that fair trade coffee from an exploited British dairy farmer".

Speaking after the speech Scott Collins said "The idea that supermarkets can continue to exploit British farmers whilst reaping the profits is just not sustainable or moral. We need to look again at how farmers and producers are treated by supermarkets. Driving down farm gate prices is damaging our ability as a country to produce food. If we are truly to move to a more environmentally sustainable economy then we need to promote local produce and cut down the amount of food shipped in from abroad. All the time we allow farmers and producers to be driven out of business by large supermarket chains we become more dependant on foreign imports".

Tim Farrons speech to the Bournemouth Conference is available at http://www.libdems.org.uk/news_detail.aspx?title=Speech%3a_Tim_Farron_speaks_about_rural_Britain_at_Liberal_Democrat_Conference&pPK=4fc37f4d-83bf-4736-832d-6c19702aef3d

His speech also includes pledges on second homes and Post Offices.