For every £1 we pay for our food, farmers get less than 8p, due to excessive practices by highly profitable supermarkets Liberal Democrat spokesperson, Justine McGuinness today called for West Dorset farmers to get a fair price for their produce.

Justine McGuinness said:

“Supermarkets are now so powerful they can dictate market conditions for British farmers. West Dorset’s farmers and consumers deserve a fairer deal. It is time the power of the supermarkets was checked. In 2005, I would like to see greater development of local markets and organic farming.

“West Dorset has a fine farming and food production heritage. As we start the new year, let’s make sure it has strong future.”

Supermarket profits rose by 300% during the last 15 years. In the same period, their directors have reaped an astonishing 557% increase in pay, whilst farmers’ incomes have risen less than a third - a paltry 29%.

Justine said:

“Supermarkets are now so powerful they can dictate market conditions for British farmers. West Dorset’s dairy farmers in particular are not getting a fair deal. Their hard work is not reflected in the price farmers get for milk. They struggle to make any income while the supermarkets make huge profits.”

“It is clear the Government can no longer sit on its hands whilst the supermarkets squeeze the lifeblood from our countryside. Food supply chain relationships need rebalancing, the Supermarket Code must be strengthened and the OFT must get tough with bully-boy tactics.”

Liberal Democrats want to introduce a legal duty to trade fairly, enforced by the Office of Fair Trading. This will protect West Dorset’s farmers and consumers from exploitation by supermarkets and processing companies.

West Dorset Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson, Justine McGuinness, today wished everyone in West Dorset a “Happy Christmas and Merry New Year”.

Justine McGuinness said: “I would like to wish everyone in West Dorset a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year.

“Thank you to those people who will work over the holiday for the emergency services, like nurses, police officers, ambulance and fireman to keep our community safe.”

Reflecting on the past year, Ms McGuinness said:

“2004 has been a busy year. We, Liberal Democrats, have worked hard this year to protect vital services, such as free school buses. We took a petition to axe the unfair Council Tax, signed by thousands and thousands of local residents, to the Prime Minister at Number 10. We helped save Bradpole Post Office from closure, worked to keep open Penwithen School, near Dorchester, and saved BT pay phone boxes from closure, like the one at Nettlecombe. And we have asked difficult questions and got results when services have been found wanting; like last summer, when the Minor Injuries Unit at Bridport’s Hospital was closed for over a fifth of its hours.

“As Labour and the Conservatives continue their phoney war over choice in public services, we have made it clear that our number one priority is quality local public services: a good school and hospital nearby, and many more police officers on our streets and in our villages.

“In 2005, the Liberal Democrats will continue to work hard for West Dorset.”

The Scouts will be delivering hundreds of Christmas cards from Justine McGuinness around the Dorchester and neighbouring villages. Christmas cards from Justine going to people in the Dorchester area will be delivered using ‘Scout Post’. The proceeds of Scout Post will go to the Scouts and to other local charities.

Justine McGuinness, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesperson for West Dorset said:

“The Scout Post does a wonderful job in the Dorchester area helping to deliver a Christmas cards. Like many local people, I am happy to be able to support the scouts raise funds for charity.

“Anyone who has cards left to post in the Dorchester area has until Sunday lunchtime to get Christmas cards into the Scout Post.”

The competition to design a Christmas card for Liberal Democrat spokesperson, Justine McGuinness, has been won by Ben Graziami, a pupil at Mountjoy Special School. The two runners up were from Cerne Abbas village school. Lady Winchilsea, from Sherborne, and Cllr Louise Taylor, from Dorchester, helped Justine McGuinness judge the competition.

Epic Printers in Dorchester have printed the card, which Justine will send to people across West Dorset.

Some of the Christmas cards from Justine going to people in the Dorchester area will be delivered using Scout Post. The proceeds of Scout Post will go to the Scouts and to other local charities.

Commenting on the design, Justine McGuinness said, “I wish that we could have given prizes to all the children who entered the competition. Some of the designs were really excellent. Clearly there are many budding young artists in West Dorset.

“I am delighted that Ben won the first prize. Mountjoy school has a such special place in our community, it rightly deserves to be well supported.”

She added: “The Scout Post does a wonderful job in the Dorchester area. Like many local people, I am happy to be able to support the scouts raise funds for charity. Anyone who has cards left to post in the Dorchester area has until Sunday to get Christmas cards into the Scout Post.”