Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill

House of Commons

Session 1999-2000
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Other Bills before Parliament

Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill

This is the text of the Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill, as presented to the House of Commons on 15th December 1999.

Organic Food and Farming Targets Bill

ARRANGEMENT OF CLAUSES

Clause

1. Draft plan for achieving targets for organic farming and food consumption.

2. Duty of responsible authorities to consult.

3. Publication, implementation and review of final plan.

4. Interpretation.

5. Expenses.

6. Short title and extent.

A
B I L L
TO
Make provision regarding the setting and achievement of targets for organic farming and food consumption; and for connected purposes.
BE IT ENACTED by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

Draft plan for achieving targets for organic farming and food consumption.     1. - (1) The responsible authorities shall, not later than twelve months after the passing of this Act, publish a draft plan setting out the measures which in their opinion are necessary to ensure that by 1st January 2010-

(a) not less than 30 percent by area of agricultural land in England and Wales is certified as organic or is in the process of being converted to that status; and

(b) not less than 20 percent by volume of food consumed in England and Wales is certified as organic.

    (2) In preparing a draft plan under subsection (1) the responsible authorities shall include provision-

(a) to ensure that all sections of society have reasonable access to organic food; and

(b) to minimise disparities in price between food which is certified as organic and food which is not so certified.

    (3) In preparing a draft plan under subsection (1) the responsible authorities shall include provision for the development of market infrastructure to ensure that the supply of produce from organic land is able to meet demand.

    (4) In preparing a draft plan under subsection (1) the responsible authorities shall-

(a) have regard to the desirability of promoting local or regional food economies; and

(b) include in the draft plan such targets for the promotion of local or regional food economies as they consider appropriate.

Duty of responsible authorities to consult.     2. The responsible authorities shall consult-

(a) the Scottish Executive; and

(b) such persons as in their opinion can represent the interests of farmers, consumers and other relevant groups

on the contents of a draft plan under section 1 and shall consider any matters raised during such consultation.

Publication, implementation and review of final plan.     3. - (1) The responsible authorities shall not later than two years after the passing of this Act publish a final plan based on a draft plan under section 1.

    (2) It shall be the duty of the responsible authorities to secure the implementation of the measures in a final plan under subsection (1) so as to achieve the targets set out in section 1.

    (3) Not later than five years after the passing of this Act and at intervals of no more than five years thereafter the responsible authorities shall-

(a) in consultation with those listed in section 2 review the operation of this Act and of any final plan under subsection (1); and

(b) lay a report of each such review before both Houses of Parliament.

Interpretation.     4. In this Act-

"agricultural land" has the meaning given in the Agriculture Act 1947;

"certified as organic" means certified as organic in accordance with Council Regulation EEC 2092/91 and "organic food" and "organic land" are to be construed accordingly;

"local or regional food economy" means the production, processing and trading of food using organic or other sustainable methods, where such activity takes place mostly within the locality or region where the food is produced and provides health, economic, environmental or social benefit to the communities in that locality or region;

"reasonable access to organic food" means convenient access to food-

(a) which is certified as organic;

(b) which is affordable; and

(c) which is competitive on price with equivalent food which is not so certified;

"the responsible authorities" means the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the National Assembly for Wales.

Expenses.     5. There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament any expenses of the responsible authorities under this Act.

Short title and extent.     6. This Act may be cited as the Organic Food and Farming Targets Act 2000.

© Parliamentary copyright 2000
Prepared 10 February 2000