The Bristol East MP, who is a vegan and a vice-president of the League Against Cruel Sports, took up her new role on September 14.
Writing on her website, McCarthy said food and farming was a “hugely important area” and her veganism would not influence Labour’s farming policy.
“Food and farming policy is a hugely important area of public policy, currently facing major challenges,” she said.
Issues included “the prevalence of low-pay and insecure employment” and the difficulties faced by farmers trying to make a living in the current climate.
Other challenges included the decline in biodiversity and wildlife, soil erosion, land management and flooding and the need for long-term food security.
Reducing the greenhouse gas footprint of agriculture, Common Agriculture Policy reform, international trade agreements, rising food poverty and the growth of diet-related ill-health also needed to be addressed.
But McCarthy pledged “Although I have been vegan for many years this will not affect Labour policy in relation to the farming industry.”
McCarthy said she was keen to see farmers adopt the highest welfare standards and keen to develop policies promoting a move away from intensive, industrialised farming.
“The dairy industry, Britain’s largest agricultural sector, has been facing considerable pressures,” she added, saying she would no doubt be meeting farmers’ representatives soon.
“When the new shadow minister for farming and food is confirmed in post, this will be one of his or her first tasks – to look into the urgent need for farmers to get a fair deal for their milk.”
Animal welfare would be an important priority.
“I am a vice-president of the League Against Cruel Sports and will continue with the long-established Labour policy of opposing any attempts to overturn the ban on fox-hunting.
“It is also Labour policy to oppose the badger culls as both ineffective and inhumane and I will continue with that policy, particularly in opposing the government’s attempts to roll out the culls in Dorset.”
Since McCarthy’s appointment dairy farmer Lord John Grantchester was named as shadow Defra minister as Labour completed its front bench team following the election of Jeremy Corbyn as party leader.
Grantchester joined MPs Alex Cunningham, Nick Smith and Baroness Maggie Jones who will also serve in the shadow Defra team.
A Cheshire dairy farmer, Grantchester was chairman of Dairy Farmers of Britain when the farmer-owned co-operative went into receivership in 2009.
He was president of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers from 2001-2003 and held posts with the Country Land and Business Association and Royal Agricultural Society.
Grantchester’s appointment as a shadow Defra minister meant he would be expected to work closely with McCarthy.
Ms McCarthy has described the dairy industry as “artificially forcing loads more milk out of cows”.
Other members of the Labour Defra team have much less experience than Grantchester when it comes to farming.
Cunningham was elected as an MP in 2010.
Before entering parliament, he worked as a journalist and public relations consultant.
He was also a local councillor and cabinet member for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council.
Smith, who was also elected to parliament in 2010, has served as a member of the public accounts committee, responsible for scrutinising government spending.
His website lists his main interests in parliament as being home affairs, work and pensions, transport and defence issues.
Jones was made a life peer in 2006.
She was previously director of policy and public affairs at the trade union Unison and a member of the Labour Party’s national executive committee from 1993 to 2005.
Jones was chairman of the Labour Party from 2000 to 2001.
UK Farmers Weekly
