NFU urges Government to enhance British food production
The National Farmers’ Union president, Meurig Raymond, has called on policy makers to grasp Brexit as an opportunity to enhance the nation’s ability to produce British food.
As figures have indicated that Britain produces 60% of its own food, with the rate both falling and being in long-term decline, Raymond has urged the Government to implement policies that will ensure Britain’s self-sufficiency in food.
Raymond said: “We’re not advocating a fully self-sufficient nation – we recognise the need for importing food which can only be produced in different climates.
“But what we should be doing is maximising on the food production we are good at, and looking at the potential for this.”
He added that since the UK voted to leave the EU, “25% of people think it’s now more important to buy British food”, adding that “we already knew that 86% of shoppers say they want to buy more British food”.
Highlighting that farmers provide the raw materials for a domestic food industry, Raymond concluded: “We are calling on the Government to deliver policies that will ensure that Britain retains its ability to be more self-sufficient, support home-grown food and ensure that we have profitable, productive and progressive farm businesses for the future.”
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