The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has joined with the food industry to call for a five-point plan to protect UK food security and protect households from “future food shocks”.
In an open letter co-signed by NFU, British Retail Consortium, the Food and Drink Federation and UKHospitality, they call for Government to back a five-point plan for a more resilient and affordable food system, covering the following areas:
- Delivering value for the public
- Well-negotiated EU realignment
- Improving the planning system
- Securing workers
- Investment and growth
The organisations detailed how their plan shows how economically valuable food and farming already is to the country and also how a more resilient food system will add further value by protecting the UK’s 29 million households from future food shocks.
NFU president Tom Bradshaw commented: “British farmers and growers are the foundation of our food system. With 70 million people reliant on us to produce their food, we must act now to secure a resilient, affordable food system in the coming years.
“To drive success, farmers and growers need to know they’ll have the workforce they rely on, regulation which supports efficiency and growth, and a planning system that drives investment in much-needed farm infrastructure such as poultry sheds, storage for valuable manures and reservoirs.
“These are all things that will build resilience in food production, and these investments will help both hard-pressed farmers and struggling consumers. I urge the incoming Prime Minister and their team to get behind this plan and lead the charge.”
Andrew Opie, director of Food & Sustainability at the BRC, said: “Food retailers are proud to support British agriculture and already source the vast majority of their food from the UK. In order to grow this investment, government must work to remove some of the hurdles which hold back British farmers, including on costs, planning restrictions, and reducing friction in EU realignment.
“This would allow the UK to build a more resilient and affordable food system that can deliver for both consumers and the economy long into the future.”
“The new Prime Minister should seize this opportunity to partner with us to strengthen and safeguard the UK’s food system.”
Karen Betts, FDF
Karen Betts, chief executive of The Food and Drink Federation, commented: “We want Government to work with our sector to incentivise investment, particularly in new technologies, advanced skills, and the R&D necessary to make our food system more resilient and our diets healthier.
“Too often food and drink has been overlooked by Government and our industry’s work to ensure households everywhere have access to a wide range of fresh, nutritious and affordable food has been taken for granted. The new Prime Minister should seize this opportunity to partner with us to strengthen and safeguard the UK’s food system today and into the future.”
Kate Nicholls, chair of UKHospitality, said: “Our pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels and contract caterers, to name a few, are reliant on a sustainable and resilient food system to continue feeding the nation. It’s critical that the next Prime Minister supports the food supply chain by reducing its tax burden, cutting red tape and enabling businesses from farm to fork to grow.”
