Liberal Democrats have launched a major new food security plan warning that Britain risks a “lost generation of farmers” unless urgent action is taken to attract young people into the industry.
Unveiling the proposals, the party’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson Tim Farron MP said the Lib Dems want to establish a ‘Farm First’ programme — a farming-sector equivalent to Teach First — to encourage more young entrants into agriculture.
The move comes as official figures show that only 5% of farmers across the UK are aged under 35, prompting concern about long-term workforce shortages and the country’s ability to maintain domestic food production.
Industry data shows the average age of a UK farmer is now close to 60, with many reporting no clear successor. Several farming bodies have warned that without a stronger pipeline of new entrants, the sector will struggle to maintain capacity across core crops and livestock, raising questions about resilience in the decade ahead.
Alongside proposals to boost training and recruitment, the party wants stronger education on nutrition and food production to equip the next generation and tackle rising food poverty.
Almost one in five children and one in ten households now live in food poverty, and the Liberal Democrats say teaching how food is produced, supporting local supply chains and investing in agricultural skills are key to improving food security.
The party’s plan urges the government to fundamentally shift how it views farming, describing the sector as a national “lifeline” that must be prioritised if Britain is to protect its food supply.
The call comes as the UK’s food self-sufficiency has slipped to around 60%, down from roughly 75% in the 1990s. Recent supply chain shocks — including extreme weather, high input costs and international disruptions — have highlighted vulnerabilities in domestic production and increased reliance on imports for key staples. The Lib Dems argue that rebuilding the farming workforce is essential to strengthening the UK's long-term food resilience.
Tim Farron said it was “utterly shameful that one in five children are living in food poverty, and our farming communities are being pushed to the brink of extinction.”
He called for a “fundamental cultural shift in our attitude towards farming,” arguing that the proposed Farm First scheme would give young people the training and incentives needed to choose farming as a career.
He warned that by ignoring the crisis and the risk of a rural brain drain, the government was “severing the lifeline of our domestic food supply,” adding: “Britain is not secure unless its food supply is secure.”
The full paper will be launched later today (4 December).
