PM pledges never to take food security for granted and to be by farmers’ side

Rishi Sunak is set to pledge he will “never take our food security for granted” as he outlines support for farmers in a speech to the sector.

Speaking to the national farmers’ Union conference today, the Prime Minister is expected to say the Government will “be by their side” as farming goes through its biggest change in a generation.

Mr Sunak will highlight £427 million in grants in 2024, including a doubling of the amount going to technology and innovations chem esto£220m to support farmers increase productivity. The money is part of the Government's commitment to maintain support for English farming at pre-brexit levels of £2.4 billion a year.

And he will announce cuts to "red tape" around permitted development rights to make it easier for farmers to develop buildings and diversify earnings by creating farm shops, commercial spaces and sporting venues.

His speech comes in the wake of polling which found Labour had narrowly overtaken the Tories among countryside voters, who also felt neither main party understood rural communities.

Farmers have been dealing with the impacts of soaring costs of inputs including fuel and fertiliser since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Sunak is expected to tell farmers :" while the importance of farmers will never change - farming is going through its biggest change in a generation. And as farmers do so, this government will be by their side.

"They have been dealing with soaring global prices in things like fuel and fertiliser. So, we've been working hard to get inflation down.

"And we're increasing payments in our farming schemes by an average of 10 per cent."

"And while thanks to you we enjoy good quality food all year round, global events have put food security back at the top of the agenda.

"We'll never take our food security for granted."

The PM will add: "I know how important my neighbours - our farmers - truly are.

"You help to employ millions, add billions to our economy, shape the landscape, but most of all, you produce the food we need - food that is some of the best and highest quality anywhere in the world."

The Government said almost half of farmers in England were receiving support through new schemes post-brexit.

This includes the sustainable farming incentive (SFI), which pays farmers for things such as improving soil health, protecting waterways and preserving hedgerows.

Payment rates have been increased by an average of 10 per cent for the scheme, and the management payment, which recognises the time and cost involved in participating in the programme, is being doubled, putting as much as an extra £1,000 into farmers' pockets.

Mr Sunak is also expected to announce new regulations for the dairy sector, so they have reasonable and transparent contracts, with similar regulations for the pig sector later this year, followed by the egg sector.

The Government will also publish an annual food security index in the spring, monitoringtheuk' s current level of food security and how it can be maintained.

The importance of farmers will never change farming is going through its biggest change in a generation