On Monday, the Government announced its ambitious new food strategy aimed at boosting home-grown production, creating rural jobs and investing in innovative new technologies.
Penrith and The Border MP, Dr Neil Hudson stood up in the House of Commons during the Ministerial Statement to welcome the proposals that focus on backing British farmers and bolstering food production and food security, before asking for reassurance that producers would be supported through the challenges of rising fuel, animal feed and fertiliser costs. In addition, Dr Hudson highlighted the pressures facing the sector with the closure of one of the UK’s fertiliser and CO2 plants.
The Cumbrian MP was heartened by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, George Eustice’s answer
The plans outlined pledge £270 million towards farming programmes, supporting farmers to harness new, innovative methods to boost home-grown fruit and vegetable production, and in turn create new job opportunities across the country.
Dr Hudson praised the Government for taking food security seriously in the unpredictable world – something he has called for repeatedly in Parliament and in conversations with Ministers and in his role as member of the EFRA Select Committee. Plans include strengthening the resilience of our supply chain and boosting domestic production to help protect against future economic shocks and crises.
As well as stepping up work with industry to identify ways to help more people into jobs all along the food supply chain, the strategy also sets out plans to create a new professional body for the farming and growing industry to step up professional training and develop clear career pathways, equipping people and businesses with the skills needed to run sustainable and profitable businesses.
Commenting afterwards Dr Neil Hudson said:
“Put simply, food is pivotal to life. With rising farming costs and Russia’s horrific invasion of Ukraine, more of society is appreciating that we need a prosperous and resilient agri-food sector.
“The work Cumbrian and UK farmers are doing to produce high quality food during unprecedented cost increases is amazing; and all the while acting as nature positive custodians for our precious environment.
“I am hearted by George Eustice’s response with regards to spiralling fertiliser costs. I have his assurance that he and his department are monitoring the situation closely as it develops.”
Speaking in Parliament, Dr Hudson asked George Eustice, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
“I welcome this statement that the Government are bolstering food production and food security. Producing food sustainably and looking after the environment go hand in hand, and our fantastic UK farmers are best placed to do that as they have been doing it for generations.
“The pandemic and the war in Ukraine have brought food security into sharp relief, and farmers are faced with the challenges of rising costs of fuel, animal feed and fertiliser, the supply of which is more uncertain with the announced closure of one of the UK’s fertiliser and CO2 plants.
“Can my right hon. Friend reassure farmers in Cumbria and across the UK that the Government will support them through these challenges in the shared endeavour to produce more local food?”
George Eustice replied:
“My hon. Friend raises some important points. We are watching the situation closely on fertiliser supply. Our current assessment is that production at the Billingham plant, which has the lion’s share of UK production, is continuing.
“We understand that it has had strong orders during the course of the year and farmers are managing to source their fertiliser by that route. We are also successfully continuing to import fertiliser from countries such as Norway.
“However, we monitor that closely because it is important that we ensure that farmers can get access to fertiliser, particularly for next year’s winter wheat crop.”
The food strategy includes plans to:
· Consult on an ambition for 50% of public sector expenditure on food procurement to be on food either produced locally or to higher standards
· Incentivise the sector to use surplus heat and CO2 from industrial processes, and renewable sources of energy to increase domestic horticultural production
· Review the planning permission process to support new developments of glasshouses
· Launch an independent review to tackle labour shortages in the food supply chain, to look at the roles of automation, domestic labour and migration to ensure UK businesses can access the labour they require
· Consult on how to improve on and expand animal welfare labelling, to help consumers identify when products meet or exceed our high UK animal welfare standards
· Extend the Seasonal Workers visa route to poultry, following a successful pilot last year
· Publish a framework for land use in England next year
· Consult on food waste reporting for larger businesses over a certain size
· Publish a statement setting out requirements for those wishing to access the UK market to objectively demonstrate they deliver an equivalent level of health protection to our high domestic standards
· Explore how to make the most of innovative feed additives that can reduce methane emissions from livestock, to support sustainable farming
· Launch a new partnership between the public and private sector to provide consumers with more information about the food they eat while incentivising industry to produce healthier, more ethical and sustainable goods
