Realistic picture painted for Glamorgan Farmers of Agri Food's future

The Chatham House ’Food Futures: rethinking UK Strategy’ paints a realistic picture for the future of agri food in the UK and it has serious implications for farmers in Wales – that’s what Professor Terry Marsden, who was involved in producing the strategy, said to Glamorgan farmers at the recent NFU Cymru County Conference held in South Cornelly.

The report, published earlier this week, examines the critical challenges facing UK food production in a world of rising food demand and increasing pressure on resources and the environment. The report points out how the weaknesses in UK food supply including low levels of research and development and ingrained short-termism of retailers and manufacturers pose challenges to the assumption that UK food security is already assured.

NFU Cymru has endorsed the main findings of this major report. Dai Davies, NFU Cymru President, told Glamorgan farmers, "I played a very small part in the putting together of this report and one thing I noticed during the work we did was that Professor Marsden has tremendous influence with government and is one of a few people that can take ideas down to those in power in Cardiff Bay. It is very satisfying to know that he is working on behalf of us farmers to influence decisions such as these which will affect us all."

Professor Terry Marsden told those present that agri food was going through a very significant profound period of change at present. There are currently multiple demands on those in food production. Farmers have got to deliver food to feed the famine, as well as meet the health agenda and look at tackling climate change at the same time.

Professor Marsden continued, "In 1979 there was a national strategy called food for the nation. As part of the work we did for the current ’Food Futures: rethinking UK strategy’ we got the 1979 strategy out and looked at it again. One of our conclusions is that we do need a fresh national strategy for feeding the nation. I am pleased to tell you as Welsh farmers that during our work we found the Welsh Assembly Government much more supportive to what we were saying than those in Westminster."

Dai Davies said, "The ’Food Futures: rethinking UK strategy’ is a thorough and authoritative study into the challenges facing the UK food sector that casts doubt on the belief that our food supply is secure. This is a major political issue which has rightly received some substantial attention from Government, academics and the media. However, too often the analysis is focused on the global dimension without proper reflection on what needs to be done at home. A number of pressures, such as greater global competition, protectionism and a slow-down in agricultural productivity, mean the UK cannot afford to take its food supply for granted.

"As the report shows there are concerns about whether we have sufficient production capacity in some key sectors such as milk. What is more, it illustrates that declining levels of UK investment raise real questions over our ability to maintain a viable domestic agricultural research and development base, or to access technology developed in the EU or globally."

Richard Isaac, NFU Cymru County Chairman in Glamorgan said, "Professor Marsden has certainly given us a lot of food for thought. There’s obviously been a lot of ’thinking outside the box’ during the production of this strategy and from what we have heard Professor Marsden say agri food is certainly back on the political agenda at the highest level. Perhaps government might start to realise now just how important food production is."

NFU Cymru would like to thank Mid Glamorgan Farm Supplies for sponsoring the event.