A NORTH Yorkshire MP has told ministers to play the role of matchmaker Cilla Black and take inspiration from Blind Date to improve farming in the UK.

Partners from around the world need to be found for UK researchers with the new relationships used to develop technologies and techniques for farmers to use, senior Conservative MP Anne McIntosh has urged.

Ms McIntosh, chairwoman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee (Efra), also insisted "flatulence from animals" needs to be reduced wherever possible, as she pressed for the coalition to produce a plan showing how to cut emissions in the agricultural sector.

Barriers limiting the export of leftover pig meat, such as feet, to China and other emerging markets also need to be removed, the MP for Thirsk and Malton added.

Miss McIntosh spoke as she introduced the Efra committee's food security report to the Commons, which warns the UK's self-sufficiency in food has steadily declined over the past 20 years.

The parliamentary committee also noted the UK's food security is threatened by climate change and increased demand for produce from emerging economies.

Addressing threats to food production including extreme weather, Miss McIntosh told the Commons that supermarkets must make supply chains shorter.

She said: "I'd like to turn for a moment to asking the Government to produce a detailed emissions reductions plan for the UK agricultural sector.

"Agriculture currently accounts for 9% of all greenhouse gas emission, of which livestock production accounts for a staggering 49% of farm-related emissions.

"Now, the headlines this week turned to flatulence from animals and we wish to reduce that wherever we can.

"So we applaud the work that is going on - particularly being trialled by Sainsbury's and other supermarkets at the moment - the research we've heard about to grow high sugar grass content that will actually single-handedly reduce such emissions, going forward.

"We also welcome the £410 million the Government is currently spending on agricultural research.

"We very much welcome the £160 million of agri-tech strategy.

"But we do urge the Government to act, if you like, as a Cilla Black to actually unite and bring to the marketplace and go out and find partners - a sort of Blind Date, if you like, of urging research institutes in this country to find research institutes both in this country, across Europe and internationally to make sure that farmers will benefit and the research will actually be brought to farmers and the marketplace."

On opening up export markets, Miss McIntosh said: "We applaud the efforts of the department to open up these new markets where demand is growing.

"But I have to say barriers still remain, not least in certain emerging markets - I don't wish to single China out, I just wish to give this as one particular example.

"There is a joint operation between the Malton bacon factory and the Cookstown plant that will lead to many pig parts, such as pigs' feet and other parts we humans do not eat in this country, but for which there is wide demand in China.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for export and we ask and urge the Government to really intervene - whether it should be the department, whether it should be the Foreign Office, whether it should be the (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills), it's not entirely clear - but having just removed the barriers to cheese exports, we now must act urgently to remove these very real barriers to pig meat, going forward."

After Miss McIntosh finished her opening remarks, Commons Speaker John Bercow noted: "I'm most grateful to you for your comprehensive statement. In particular, I think the House is obliged to you for providing members with a helping hand through your graphic descriptions of what you had in mind.

"It's always useful, in my experience, to have a bit of information."

Labour's Fiona O'Donnell, a former shadow environment minister, in a reference to the flatulence remarks, also told Miss McIntosh: "I'm glad you raised the - perhaps for some of us - rather uncomfortable issue of the lack of progress in reducing emissions in the agricultural sector and you spoke about the task force.

"Now, I wonder when you speak of a 'wind of change blowing through the sector' if you have any particular actions you think that task force could take to see action?"

Miss McIntosh thanked the Labour MP for her "much more eloquent description of the problem".

Blind Date was a popular Saturday night television show broadcast on ITV from the 1980s, with Black enjoying an 18-year run as host.

She joined voice-over man Graham Skidmore, referred to as "Our Graham" by the host, to help a single contestant looking for love to choose a date from three candidates who were hidden behind a screen.

The contestant would then accompany his or her chosen partner on a holiday with variable matchmaking results, although Black would often tell the audience everyone had had a "Lorra, lorra laughs".