At the second Farm to Fork Summit, held on the 14th of May at Downing Street, the Prime Minister announced a series of measures to support domestic food production, boost innovation within the sector and recruit the next generation of farming and food leaders.
The package included a new Blueprint for Growing the UK Fruit and Vegetable Sector, laying out how the industry and government can work together to increase domestic production and drive investment into the sector, which is worth over £4 billion to the UK economy.
The plan includes:
- Ensuring the sector has access to affordable and sustainable energy and water
- Cutting planning red tape to make it easier and quicker to build glasshouses
- New investment to boost innovation in the sector, where Defra will look to double to £80 million the amount of funding given to horticulture businesses when compared to the EU legacy Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme.
The Summit also saw the publication of the first draft Food Security Index, containing key data and trends to help safeguard UK food security and monitor short-term trends across the UK.
Additional measures were also announced for farmers impacted by the wet weather, with temporary adjustments made for farmers and landowners struggling to meet Environmental Land Management requirements due to the persistent wet weather.
£75 million will also be made available to support internal drainage boards (IDBs) to accelerate recovery and provide opportunities to modernise and upgrade assets.
Environment Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Food security is vital to our national security, which is why today’s summit is so important, bringing together government and key representatives from the farming and food sector at Downing Street.
“Today’s announcements will turbocharge the growth of our horticultural sector supporting the building of cutting-edge glasshouses and innovative farming techniques to put British fruit and vegetables on our plates all-year round.
“We will continue to invest in and support farmers to produce the best of British food to strengthen our food security, championing innovation in the sector.”
Farming Minister Mark Spencer said: “This government will always back British farmers. Food production is the primary purpose of farming, and our farmers and food producers work hard to keep the nation fed, despite challenges including flooding.
“Supporting our farmers and food producers is at the heart of our plans and we are committed to working with them. We are pressing on with our plan by investing in food security and resilient farming businesses, providing business advice and cutting unnecessary red tape.
“It is an exciting time and we are investing in innovation, ensuring the sector has the labour it needs, further embedding fairness in the supply chain, and making sure the sector is attracting the best and brightest.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw welcomed the announcements made, particularly those related to food security, the horticultural industry and the increased investment in the agricultural sector.
However, following the Farmer Confidence Survey conducted by the NFU, which showed that farmer confidence was at a record low, the organisation stressed the need for immediate support to help the sector..
Tom said: “It was good to return to Number 10 today to see and hear the Prime Minister champion British food production, putting it at the top of the national political agenda. Food security is national security.
“Many of today’s announcements are extremely welcome, particularly those long-term strategic ambitions around the launch of a UK Food Security Index and measures to boost the production of more British fruit and vegetables.
“We are pleased that the government has taken on board our calls for a bigger and more accessible replacement for the EU Fruit and Veg Aid Scheme, and a commitment to legislate to improve contractual relationships.
“But we cannot forget that our members have experienced the wettest eighteen months since 1836, including devastating flooding, and many are facing an acute short-term crisis.
“The NFU’s recent confidence survey revealed just how tough it is out there currently – the reality is that some farmers and growers believe they may not survive long enough to benefit from today’s announcements.
“That’s why, while we are pleased to see the Prime Minister and Defra saying UK food security is vital to our national security, we need actions in the short-term that underpin that statement, in order to rebuild confidence and resilience so farming businesses can continue producing food.
“We will continue to engage with ministers on the detail needed for the immediate relief our farm businesses require and believe that core standards for food imports also need to be part of the long-term offer.”