NFU president calls on public to back British farmers in fears over supplied and food security

They needed to deliver a secure, safe and affordable supply of British food, for both home markets and overseas, and recognises that farmers are the nation’s working conservationists in protecting and enhancing the environment.

She said: “As the global population continues to rise, and parts of the planet become less suited to producing the food we eat, we have an opportunity, and a duty, to get the best out of our maritime climate. Secondly, in the face of climate change, we should be unwavering in our commitment to achieving net zero and contributing to our energy security through on-farm renewables generation. And thirdly, we should never take our food security for granted.”

However, Ms Batters warned that volatility and instability were the biggest threats to this such as labour shortages, energy prices, uncertainty over payments and the poultry and egg industry being particularly affected.

She added that the “potential impact of climate change really hit home” due to “extraordinary” temperatures last summer.

Ms Batters told the audience: “Despite all this, NFU members and the farmers and growers of Britain continued to bring in the harvest, to produce the nation’s food and to keep the country fed through tough times. We have seen progress; with the publication of the prospectus for the new Environmental Land Management Schemes; with increases to the Seasonal Agricultural Workers schemes; and in securing the establishment of the Trade and Agriculture Commission, leading to the Food and Drink Export Council and the placement of eight new agriculture attachés to sell British food overseas.

“More often than not – it has been incredibly hard getting government to back up its rhetoric with concrete actions. The time is nearly up for government to demonstrate its commitment to food and farming in our great country, not just by saying they support us, but by showing us they do. I won’t let the opposition off the hook either, I believe the rural vote will be crucial in the next election.”

The clock is ticking and Ms Batters called for this to be the time that we really back British farming and food.

She added: “It’s ticking for those farmers and growers facing costs of production higher than the returns they get for their produce. It’s ticking for the country, as inflation remains stubbornly high, and the affordability and availability of food come under strain. It’s ticking for our planet, as climate change necessitates urgent, concerted action to reduce emissions and protect our environment.

"And it’s ticking for government – to start putting meaningful, tangible and effective meat on the bones of the commitments it has made. Commitments to promote domestic food production, to properly incentivise sustainable and climate friendly farming, to put farmers and growers at the heart of our trade policy, and to guarantee our food security. It really is time to back British farmers and back British food.”