The National Farmers Union (NFU) is urging the UK Government to prioritize domestic food production amidst global economic uncertainly and a significant agri-food inflation rate of 19.2%. In a statement issued on August 9, 2023, the NFU highlights the need for statutory targets for food produced in the UK, similar to those used to track progress on environmental issues.
According to calculations by Defra, the UK would have run out of food supplies by this time of the year if it were solely reliant on domestically grown produce since the beginning of 2023. This raises concerns, as in 2022, the UK was only 60% self-sufficient in food, a decline from 62% five years ago, and a significant decrease from the peak of 78% in 1984.
NFU president, Minette Batters, emphasizes the unparalleled volatility in global food supply due to the threat of climate change and extreme weather events. She states, “Climate change is wreaking havoc on food production across the world, with farmers in Southern Europe fighting fires, while farmers here despair as they must spend thousands to dry sodden grain. Additionally, the conflict in Ukraine is pressuring the global grain market, and ongoing inflation of input costs is making it incredibly expensive for many farmers and growers to produce food.”
Batters and the NFU stress the need for more resilient food supply chains, reducing reliance on imports, and emphasize that it is the responsibility of the Government to take action. She emphasizes the importance of food security, stating, “We need to produce more of our own food at home, regardless of global circumstances. The Prime Minister must follow through with his commitments from the recent food summit and establish legislation to ensure the UK’s self-sufficiency does not fall below the current 60%. Now is the opportune time to implement policies that support the production of high-quality, climate-friendly, home-grown food. This government already has statutory targets for the environment, and it is crucial for Ministers to give the same importance to our food production.”
The NFU is calling on the UK Government to prioritize food production to mitigate the impact of global uncertainties and agri-food inflation. Resilient food supply chains and reduced reliance on imports are essential, with legislative action needed to maintain the current level of self-sufficiency. This will support the production of quality, climate-friendly, home-grown food.
