ROGER WILLIAMS TRAVELS TO BRUSSELS TO DISCUSS EUROPEAN AGRICULTURAL POLICY

1.20.40pm GMT Fri 7th Nov 2008

Roger Williams, MP for Brecon and Radnorshire and Liberal Democrat Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson, travelled to Brussels earlier this week to meet with European politicians, including Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fisher-Boel, and discuss agricultural issues.

Mr Williams joined the Chairman of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee, Michael Jacks MP, to represent the UK Parliament in Brussels for a meeting entitled "Future of European agriculture and its role in the world".

The theme of the first session was the 'health check' of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and CAP reform

Speaking after the meeting Mr Williams said:

"I emphasised the importance of upland and marginal areas to European farming and global food security.

"Upland farmers produce high quality products, which are greatly valued by the consumer, but also deliver on important CAP outcomes.

"If the EU is serious about protecting landscapes to promote rural tourism and local communities, maintain and enhance biodiversity, reduce carbon emissions by creating and maintaining carbon sinks and mitigating climate change by managing heavier rainfall and flooding then it is important to maintain support for people who farm these areas so that they can deliver on the public goods.

"The so called clause 68 could bring in the necessary stability to upland areas to achieve this but must be managed without undue bureaucracy and red tape."