Farming resilience critical to UK food security – NFU chief

A resilient UK food system is “critical to the nation’s future” and central to tackling inflation, boosting national security and driving economic growth, NFU president Tom Bradshaw will tell delegates at the union’s annual conference in Birmingham.

Opening the two-day event on Tuesday 24 February, Mr Bradshaw will highlight that a resilient food system isn’t optional in a time of geopolitical uncertainty, it is a cornerstone to national security and should be backed up by a long-term plan for farming and food production.

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“Everyone – young or old, rural, or urban – needs a resilient food system,” he will say. “Resilience means the ability to anticipate shocks, withstand the impact and recover stronger than before.”

Mr Bradshaw will warn that confidence in the sector remains “devastatingly low”, with the NFU’s latest survey showing 64% of farmers and growers reporting declining profits or fearing their business may not survive.

But he will argue that investment in domestic production is essential to curb food price pressures and drive growth. “Profit is not a dirty word. Profitability is the first step towards true sustainability. That is the key to growth, resilience, and curbing food inflation.”

Calling for a clear, long-term government plan, Mr Bradshaw will say:

“When government is joined up, it makes a real difference… This is exactly the sort of intent we need to see in other areas such as delivering on its manifesto pledge for half of all food purchased across the public sector to be locally sourced.”

Energy and water security will also feature prominently.

“Hundreds of millions of pounds of inflation are coming to a retail shelf near you, all because of changes to energy standing charges this spring,” he will say, urging ministers to recognise the energy intensity of farming and offer support in line with other heavy industries.

On environmental policy, Mr Bradshaw will press for stability on agri-environment schemes, especially Defra’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) in England, which is set to reopen for applications in late spring.

“Farmers are the original environmentalists, but they cannot have the goalposts constantly moving if they are to keep delivering for the environment and be profitable, resilient businesses,” he will say.

Defra announcements

Meanwhile, Defra secretary Emma Reynolds is expected to use her keynote address to announce a £345m investment in farming innovation to help farmers in England adopt new technology, cut emissions and boost productivity.

She is also set to provide further detail on SFI grants and capital support, shaped by farmer feedback. Industry sources suggest there will be additional actions and a higher funding cap than first expected, in a move likely to be welcomed by the sector.

Mr Bradshaw will conclude with a stark warning: “We cannot keep relying on others to produce our food… Building farming’s resilience is crucial, because if we don’t, our food security, our national security, and our economic growth will be under threat.”