Next prime minister urged to act on UK food security

Food and farming leaders have urged the next prime minister to back a five-point plan to strengthen the UK’s food system, warning that households and businesses remain exposed to rising costs, labour shortages and future food shocks.

The NFU, British Retail Consortium, Food and Drink Federation and UKHospitality have joined forces to call on leadership candidates to support a more resilient and affordable food system.

The call comes as Andy Burnham is widely expected to become the next prime minister, with food industry leaders urging the incoming government to put food security at the centre of its plans.

The organisations said the UK food and drink sector is worth more than £153 billion from farm to fork, supporting more than four million jobs across the supply chain — equivalent to one in nine jobs in the UK.

They said the plan highlights the economic importance of food and farming, while setting out how a stronger system could help protect 29 million UK households from future shocks.

The five-point plan focuses on delivering better value for the public, securing a well-negotiated EU realignment, improving the planning system, tackling labour shortages and supporting investment and growth.

It calls for government action to reduce cost pressures on food businesses, ease trade friction with the EU, create a more permissive planning system, build a stronger workforce pipeline and unlock private investment from farm to fork.

The plan also says policy decisions on tax, regulation and planning directly affect the cost of producing food and, in turn, how affordable that food is for consumers.

The organisations warned that weaknesses in the food system are putting both businesses and households under pressure, and said swift action would support long-term food security.

NFU President Tom Bradshaw said farmers needed access to labour, supportive regulation and a planning system that encouraged investment.

He said: “British farmers and growers are the foundation of our food system. With 70 million people reliant on us to produce their food, we must act now to secure a resilient, affordable food system in the coming years.

“To drive success, farmers and growers need to know they’ll have the workforce they rely on, regulation which supports efficiency and growth, and a planning system that drives investment in much-needed farm infrastructure such as poultry sheds, storage for valuable manures and reservoirs.

“These are all things that will build resilience in food production, and these investments will help both hard-pressed farmers and struggling consumers. I urge the incoming prime minister and their team to get behind this plan and lead the charge.”

Andrew Opie, Director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said retailers already sourced the vast majority of their food from the UK and wanted to increase support for British agriculture.

He said government must work to remove barriers holding back farmers, including costs, planning restrictions and friction around EU realignment.

“This would allow the UK to build a more resilient and affordable food system that can deliver for both consumers and the economy long into the future,” he said.

Karen Betts, Chief Executive of the Food and Drink Federation, said food and drink was the UK’s largest manufacturing sector, contributing £42 billion to the economy.

She said many businesses should be driving growth and creating jobs, but were instead struggling with rising bills and complex regulation.

Ms Betts called for government to work with the sector to encourage investment in new technologies, advanced skills and research and development.

“The new prime minister should seize this opportunity to partner with us to strengthen and safeguard the UK’s food system today and into the future,” she said.

Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKHospitality, said pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels and contract caterers all rely on a sustainable and resilient food system.

She said: “Hospitality feeds millions of people every day, whether it’s a quick bite to eat, lunch at work, or dinner with friends.

“It’s critical that the next prime minister supports the food supply chain by reducing its tax burden, cutting red tape and enabling businesses from farm to fork to grow.”

The groups said the government must work with the whole supply chain to unlock investment, reduce red tape and strengthen the UK’s long-term food security.

They warned that without action, households, farmers and food businesses could remain exposed to future shocks.