Labour has pledged to champion British farmers, but has said it will end the badger cull, which is likely to cause concern among livestock farmers.
The Labour Party Manifesto is light on detail on food and farming.
It stresses, however, that the party ‘recognises that food security is national security’. “That is why we will champion British farming whilst protecting the environment,” it says.
It says a Labour Government would set a target for half of all food purchased across the public sector to be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards
The party will introduce a land-use framework and make environment land management schemes work for farmers and nature.
The only other specific pledge related to farming relates to the badger cull introduced by the Conservative Government to help farmers control bovine TB.
“We will work with farmers and scientists on measures to eradicate Bovine TB, protecting livelihoods, so that we can end the ineffective badger cull,” the manifesto states.
Other pledges under the heading of ‘stronger animal welfare’ include a ban on trail hunting and the import of hunting trophies, an end puppy smuggling and farming, along with the use of snare traps, and phasing out of animal testing in partnership with scientists, industry, and civil society.