The Food Products (Market Regulation and Public Procurement) Bill was presented to the House of Commons on Wednesday by Alistair Carmichael MP, chairman of the Westminster Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
Commonly known as the Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill, the legislation aims to promote greater public procurement of locally produced food and enhanced labelling requirements.
DUP Agriculture, Environmental and Rural Affairs spokesperson, Carla Lockhart MP said: “I have been working alongside my Westminster colleagues and the farming unions, lobbying for more transparency across the agri-food supply chain.
“Farmers are the backbone of the agri-food sector, but they need a fair deal and fair prices for their produce at the farmgate. We need to see stronger working relationships between farmers, suppliers and retailers.
“This bill aims to provide increased opportunities for UK farmers, while supporting long-term and affordable food security for consumers. With so much government bureaucracy, unpredictable weather patterns, increasing overheads and volatile prices, farmers need stability and a competitive trading environment.”
The Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill aims to ensure more co-ordination between the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) and the Agricultural Supply Chain Adjudicator
Ms Lockhart added: “The bill will provide a legislative framework which will support and protect farmers and their livelihoods, rather than undermine them.”