Dr Neil Hudson MP played a central role in the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s first hearing in its ‘Education and Careers in Land-based Sectors’ Inquiry this week.
Backed by England’s largest rural constituency, Dr Hudson, was keen to highlight the link between developing career pathways in the agri-food industry and ensuring the UK retains its food resilience.
The session centred on the skills shortage in the land-based sectors which affects workforces including veterinary, supply chain and farming industries and looked at how Government can better promote career pathways among young people. Particularly new non-rural entrants.
Those in land-based sectors provide critical roles in ensuring the UK population is well-fed with nutritious and affordable food while also protecting the environment. Therefore Dr Hudson was keen to prove the connecting line from boosting land-based education to improving food resilience to strengthening national security.
One particularly heartfelt moment came when Dr Hudson reflected on Askham Bryan’s deeply regrettable decision not to continue operating Newton Rigg College, near Penrith. While Dr Hudson helped to secure contingency plans with Myerscough College, Ullswater Community College, Ernest Cook Trust and local businesses coming together to help educate Cumbria’s young people – he implored experts to help formulate pragmatic and proactive solutions to the decline in land-based education facilities nationally.
Dr Neil Hudson MP said:
“Amid global turmoil, food security is the cornerstone of resilience, reminding us that sustenance is not just a basic need but a stabilising force for all societies.
“And yet the incredibly worrying trend is that land-based education is declining, meaning our future agri-food industry could be desperately short on the workers needed to see it thrive.
“Our Inquiry is empowering experts to steer national policy forward, supporting our brilliant British farmers and future-proofing our access to high-quality local food.”
Watch the full session here.
Witnesses included:
- Dr David Llewellyn CBE, Chair, LANTRA
- Dr Hannah Pitt, Lecturer in Environmental Geography, Cardiff University
- Stephen Jacob, Chief Executive, The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH)
- Alex Payne, Chief Executive, Landex
- Dr Navaratnam Partheeban OBE, Vet and Nuffield scholar
- Ros Burnley, Member, Forestry Skills Forum
