Keep eyes on food strategy
The UK's new food strategy white paper sets out measures to ensure the world's most precious natural resources are used sustainably to produce highquality, nutritious food.
The strategy also reiterates a commitment to publish a land-use framework by 2023 to ensure that agriculture and food production are aligned to the net-zero target and biodiversity targets listed under the Environment
Act. The strategy is part of the Government's 25-year environment plan for a greener future.
It promises “longerterm measures to support a resilient, healthier, and more sustainable food system that is affordable to all” but neglects to explain, in any great detail, how this will be achieved.
UK agricultural luminaries have long voiced their concerns regarding the decline of domestic food production and the problems that would arise should trade routes close, something we have seen first-hand since Brexit and the outbreak of war in Ukraine.
UK agri-food and seafood sectors create over £120bn of value for the economy every year and employ over four million people, making this the UK’s largest manufacturing industry, bigger than the aerospace and automotive industries combined.
Statistics show that, according to data published by gov.uk, 46% of the food the UK consumed was imported in 2020, with food exports almost doubling over the past 20 years to £22bn a year, something of a vicious circle that has no logical validity.
The ongoing cost-ofliving crisis for UK residents, driven by energy prices, does not look set to roll back anytime soon and as predicted back in March: "Food security should be the paramount objective for the
country in terms of land use, worryingly it isn’t at present.
"The scarcity of food created by the nonproductive agenda, will only exasperate the shortages and prices we are currently seeing, and which will only get worse.”
The new food strategy will be interesting and worth watching.
“Data shows 46% of the food the UK consumed was imported in 2020.”
Harry Morshead, Rural Chartered Surveyor and farmer.