Food security "fundamental", Defra Secretary Steve Barclay tells Oxford Farming Conference
The new Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Steve Barclay MP says he wants to ensure the Government focuses on food security, as AIC calls for an independent committee to be established.
Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference yesterday (4 January), the Defra Secretary also set out a series of updates to the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship schemes for 2024.
He told conference delegates that "food security is fundamental to our wider national security [...] I relish the opportunity of ensuring farming and food security is at the heart of government policy."
Mr Barclay's announcement comes after the launch of a major new report on food security and agricultural productivity, commissioned by the agri-supply trade association the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC).
Written by Dr Marcus Bellett-Travers of Anglia Ruskin University, the report - "Powering Productivity for Sustainable UK Food Security" was launched at the AIC Conference in Peterborough in November.
The report's core recommendation that a statutory body be set up to provide oversight of the uniquely complex nature of agricultural productivity and food security has gained support from industry leaders, academics and politicians from across the political spectrum.
Robert Sheasby, AIC’s Chief Executive, said: “The oversight of such a body for the agri-food industry will significantly enhance our national food security for the long term, well beyond short-term parliamentary cycles.
"We welcome the support from industry and stakeholders so far. AIC is encouraging the entire UK agri-food sector to back this report’s core recommendation and we look forward to working with industry and government to make it happen."
Visit AIC's Powering Productivity campaign webpage to find out more. Watch the report launch video below.
Author
Oli Hill
As Head of Communications, Oli creates and oversees the content published on AIC's website, emails, Member briefings, print publications, and social media. A qualified multimedia journalist, he previously spent six years working at Farmers Weekly magazine as a Senior Reporter on the arable team, and latterly as Community Editor. More recently he was Communications Manager at Red Tractor.
