The NFU (National Farmers Union), British Retail Consortium (BRC), Food and Drink Federation (FDF) and UKHospitality (UKH) have joined forces to urge those running for Prime Minister to back a five-point plan.
The organisations have penned an open letter highlighting five key areas which they argue would support the sector.
In the letter they outline how swift action in the key areas including delivering value for the public, a well-negotiated EU realignment, improvement to planning, securing workers, and supporting investment and growth will deliver long-term food security.
The quote data highlighting that the food and drink industry from farm to fork is worth more than £153 billion and supports more than four million jobs across the supply chain, which equates to one in nine jobs in the UK.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “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.”
He added: “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 & Sustainability at the BRC, said that food retailers already source the vast majority of their food from the UK.
He added: “In order to grow this investment, government must work to remove some of the hurdles which hold back British farmers, including on costs, planning restrictions, and reducing friction in 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.”
This view was backed by Karen Betts, Chief Executive of the FDF, who highlighted that food and drink is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK.
“Our industry should be driving growth and creating new jobs in every postcode across the country. But instead, many businesses are struggling with the cost of rising bills and complex regulation,” she said.
“We want government to work with our sector to incentivise investment, particularly in new technologies, advanced skills, and the R&D necessary to make our food system more resilient and our diets healthier. Too often food and drink has been overlooked by government and our industry’s work to ensure households everywhere have access to a wide range of fresh, nutritious and affordable food has been taken for granted.”
Kate Nicholls, Chair of UKH, added: “Our pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels and contract caterers, to name a few, are reliant on a sustainable and resilient food system to continue feeding the nation. 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.”
