Strong leadership on food security needed says Efra Committee report

An image of NFU President Minette Batters speaking on a panel

Photograph: NFU President Minette Batters speaks at the NFU's emergency 'Fairness for farmers and growers' press conference

One fifth of households experienced moderate or severe food insecurity in January 2023 according to a food security report published by the Efra Select Committee.

In its , the committee found that the number of households experiencing food insecurity was at a greater proportion than it was during the pandemic, and quoted Lady Manningham Buller who warned that 鈥渕any had taken food security granted鈥�, at the NFU鈥檚 fifth annual Henry Plumb lecture.

Committee members put forward recommendations for the government to develop a suite of food security indicators that influence food security policy in order to maintain the UK鈥檚 current rate of self-sufficiency. NFU President Minette Batters said that the report鈥檚 finding that only 54% of the food eaten in UK is grown here as 鈥渟hocking鈥� and voiced her concerns that 鈥渢his number could decrease further if British food and farming isn鈥檛 valued鈥�.

Fertiliser availability is 鈥榗rucial鈥�

The report identified two key issues as particular challenges to the UK鈥檚 food supply; fertiliser production and carbon dioxide availability, and labour shortages.

On the former of these the report said: 鈥渢he Government has not set out the steps it will take to protect domestic production of nitrogen fertiliser and ammonia used in it鈥� and that 鈥渞eliance on a single nitrogen fertiliser plant increases the risks to the UK鈥檚 food security鈥�.

鈥�The report鈥檚 finding that only 54% of the food eaten in the UK is grown here is shocking.鈥�

NFU President Minette Batters

Minette said the report鈥檚 acknowledgement of the risk of there only being one fertiliser factory in the UK was 鈥渢imely鈥� and referred to CF Fertiliser鈥檚 announcement earlier in the week, which confirmed it will be permanently closing its Billingham ammonia plant.

The committee suggested that the government should support increase production of fertiliser in the UK.

Labour shortages were also identified as having 鈥渟eriously impacted the food and farming industry鈥�, in the report鈥檚 reference to the findings of the government鈥檚 Independent Labour Review which was tasked with looking at labour shortages across agriculture, horticulture and the wider food supply chain.

Strong leadership needed

Minette welcomed the recommendation for 鈥渟trong leadership on food security鈥� and called on all government departments to take a 鈥渃oordinated approach towards food policy鈥�.

鈥淎t such a tricky time for many UK households, the report addresses much of the inflationary pressures experienced by both families and farmers and growers. Everyone should have access to affordable, quality, sustainable food and British farmers and growers need the support of Government to have the confidence to continue producing.

鈥淟ast summer the Prime Minister committed to introduce a new self-sufficiency target and annual reporting 鈥� clearly this needs to happen as a matter of urgency. With one of the best climates in the world for producing food, we should be aiming to produce more food here in the UK.

鈥淔or this to continue, we need to see Government act on the recommendations made by the Committee to bolster Britain鈥檚 food security.鈥�


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