At a special breakfast of quality produce from Wales held in the European Parliament today, Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans urged more people to join the "food revolution". Ms Evans has been spearheading a campaign to improve food safety, reduce food transport, support sustainable agriculture and improve the quality and taste of our food.

Jill with Gareth Vaughan, FUW President, sampling quality Welsh produce

The all-Wales MEP welcomed the breakfast organised by the Farmers Union of Wales and emphasised the importance of supporting quality local production. The Welsh food included cheese from Cenarth; Yoghurt from Llaeth y Llan in Denbigh; butter from South Caernarfon Creamery; pork sausages from Welshpool, and bacon from Bethesda.

This week the Plaid Cymru MEP won the backing of the Regional Development Committee for more support for schemes to buy food locally and for initiatives like farmers markets.

Speaking after the breakfast, Jill said:

"There has been a huge upsurge in interest in buying quality local food and I'm pleased that this week the European Parliament supported my campaign. Buying locally is good news for farmers, for people's health and for the environment. Good food is a political issue. We need nothing less than a food revolution to ensure that we get a good food policy."

"I congratulate the FUW for once again providing a showcase of top quality, delicious Welsh local produce here in the European Parliament".

Notes

1. The breakfast was organised by the Farmers Union of Wales who are lobbying for an end to all beef export restrictions.

2. At Tuesday's meeting of the European Parliament's Regional Development Committee, MEPs backed an amendment to the Regional Development Guidelines tabled by Jill Evans calling for the guidelines to "support local initiatives such as local farmers' markets and local food quality procurement schemes."

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