The grains sector is strategically important and policy makers must start to take this into account if economies are to benefit from its full potential, the NFU’s Deputy President will tell a major international conference this weekend.
Speaking at the World Grain Forum in St Petersburg, Russia, Meurig Raymond will outline what the NFU sees as the key challenges and solutions for grain production and will highlight the need for governments to ensure legislation reflects the sector’s importance.

Mr Raymond will say: "Too often, food, environmental, and agricultural policies have been geared to reducing production. Despite the impact and unrest caused by higher grain prices in 2007 we sometimes have difficulty convincing our governments of the strategic value of its production. Up to now in the UK we have been successful in consistently growing abundant grain at relatively low cost. However, while the productivity gap between actual and potential yields is still wide, we see for most cereal and oilseed crops it is no longer being closed. More recently output has been standing still and lack of investment in research means necessary innovation is drying up.
"Some suggest alternative approaches to counter peaks in grain prices including holding strategic stocks as a buffer or imposing export controls when prices rise. We believe relying on policies like these damages productivity and hampers supply and distribution through trade and, in the medium to longer term, is counterproductive."
Mr Raymond will outline the need for adequate funding to be given to agricultural research and development to develop solutions to many of the challenges faced by farming – a point highlighted in the NFU’s Why Science Matters for Farming campaign.
"A key message is more output from our cropping land is the truly green option, and this must be achieved with lower environmental impact. Furthermore, we must make sure producers and processors have access to market tools to help deal with increasing price volatility, and government officials need to look again at the need to reduce the regulatory burden to help grain production and make progress on how to deal with the growing possibility of food crisis."