Farmers will profit from a dedication to guard their pursuits in future commerce offers, help to spice up home fruit and veg manufacturing and new funding in applied sciences, because of a package deal of help set out by the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after a summit hosted at Downing Road on Could sixteenth.
Representatives from the entire meals provide chain got here collectively at No10 for the UK Farm to Fork Summit, to establish methods to spice up progress, drive innovation and enhance sustainability, fulfilling a dedication made by the Prime Minister final Summer time to host the occasion as a part of his pledge to again British farmers.
Forward of the Summit, the Authorities confirmed a variety of measures to assist strengthen the long-term resilience and sustainability of the sector and supply better stability for farmers following a tough interval brought on by world challenges, together with the unlawful invasion of Ukraine which has contributed to rising prices. To provide additional certainty to the sector, authorities additionally introduced that 45,000 visas will likely be out there once more to the horticulture sector subsequent 12 months, enabling them to plan forward for the choosing season.
Attendees on the Summit included senior representatives within the UK’s farming, horticulture and agri-food sectors. The occasion checked out how authorities and trade can work collectively to extend funding, innovation and sustainability and help the long-term resilience at each stage of the meals system, from farming to manufacturing, distribution and retail, and have discussions on a set of key themes alongside a showcase of nice British food and drinks companies and innovators.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated:
“I’ll at all times again British farmers, and I pay tribute to their arduous work and dedication all 12 months spherical which retains cabinets stocked and meals on our tables.
“Supporting our farmers and meals producers should, and at all times will likely be, on the coronary heart of our plans to develop the financial system and construct a extra affluent nation.
“That’s why I’m proud to host this summit, and dealing collectively, I’m decided to construct resilience, strengthen our meals safety and champion the perfect of British at dwelling and abroad.”
Secretary of State for Meals and Farming Thérèse Coffey stated:
“Meals manufacturing is the first function of farming, and our world-leading farmers and meals producers work tirelessly day-in-day-out to maintain the nation fed, regardless of world challenges together with the unlawful invasion of Ukraine.
“I’m delighted that at present we’ve got launched into our subsequent step to again British farmers and guarantee a thriving food and drinks sector which can see extra British produce on grocery store cabinets and plates each within the UK and throughout the globe. I stay up for working collectively, proper throughout the meals provide chain, to spice up progress, innovation and sustainability.”
The package deal of measures introduced goals to spice up each ingredient of the meals provide chain, from farm to fork, and promote the UK’s world-renowned produce world wide to assist increase British companies and develop the financial system.
NFU President Minette Batters stated:
“I’m completely delighted that the Prime Minister has honoured the commitments he made when he addressed our hustings occasion again in the summertime to carry this meals summit at Quantity 10, and we welcome the bulletins made at present.
“They present a recognition and an understanding of the strategic significance of British meals and farming to the nation.
“These actions recognise the significance of coordinated motion throughout Authorities to help confidence, funding and progress in British meals. We stay up for working with the Prime Minister, the Defra Secretary and the remainder of the cupboard to Again British farming and bolster our home meals safety.”
UKHospitality Chief Govt Kate Nicholls stated:
“It’s implausible that the Prime Minister is convening the breadth of the meals provide chain, from farm to fork and showcasing our excellent hospitality providing right here within the UK to focus on iconic produce and types.
“Hospitality within the UK is recognised as one of many most interesting on the earth and is steadily the launchpad to propel British merchandise and types to markets overseas. Additional funding into the GREAT marketing campaign is welcome information and, along with boosting exports, will assist to advertise the UK as a vacationer vacation spot and increase our hospitality venues.
“Hospitality performs an enormous position in preserving the nation fed, whether or not it’s by way of our eating places and pubs or public sector catering in colleges, hospitals and the armed forces, and I’m wanting ahead to discussing how we will all work collectively to beat present challenges and grasp future alternatives.”
To spice up commerce and export alternatives to get extra British meals on plates the world over, constructing on the £24 billion a 12 months generated by our food and drinks exports, the Authorities has confirmed that:
- Farmers’ pursuits will likely be put on the coronary heart of commerce coverage by way of a brand new framework for commerce negotiations, committing to guard the UK’s excessive meals and welfare requirements and prioritise new export alternatives. The Prime Minister has written an open letter to farmers at present setting out how these new ideas will assist the trade profit from the commerce alternatives out there to us outdoors the EU.
- We are going to make investments £2m to spice up our programme of world commerce reveals and missions, in addition to offering £1.6m for the GREAT food and drinks marketing campaign.
- We are going to construct on our present abroad community with 5 further agri-food and drink attaches who will spearhead the removing of restrictive market limitations
- We are going to lengthen funding to advertise seafood exports world wide with an additional £1 million between 2025 and 2028, and create a brand new bespoke £1m programme to assist dairy companies, notably SMEs, to grab export alternatives, notably within the Asia pacific area.
The Authorities will unlock the advantages of modern applied sciences to strengthen our meals safety, cementing the UK’s management on this area by way of:
- As much as £30 million of funding to drive ahead using precision breeding applied sciences, constructing on the £8 million already invested over the past 5 years and the passing of the Genetic Know-how (Precision Breeding) Act earlier this 12 months
- The creation of a brand new working group – bringing collectively plant breeders, meals producers and retailers – to get produce from farms to the cabinets.
The Authorities will shield the pursuits of farmers by ensuring they get a good worth for his or her produce:
- We’re already utilizing new powers below the Agriculture Act to enhance transparency and contracts within the pork and dairy markets;
- We at the moment are asserting further evaluations into equity within the horticulture and egg provide chains, in gentle of the influence of world challenges on these sectors specifically.
- Recognising the distinctive position and wishes of the sector, and listening to the calls from the NFU, FDF and others, the Grocery Code Adjudicator won’t be merged with the Competitors and Markets Authority, in recognition of its significance in making certain our meals provide chains operate as they need to.
The horticulture sector is value £5 billion throughout the UK and the Authorities will help the trade to spice up manufacturing and lengthen the rising season by:
- Confirming we are going to enhance future help for horticulture by changing the retained EU Fruit and Vegetable Producer Organisation Scheme when it closes in 2026 with an expanded provide as a part of our new farming fee schemes.
- This will likely be tailor-made to the wants of our home growers and will likely be extra inclusive than the EU scheme, making certain it’s a good provide for glasshouses in addition to different growers.
- Serving to the managed horticulture sector overcome limitations to accessing authorities schemes, together with by taking a look at how the sector is assessed
- Making it simpler to construct new glasshouses by way of modifications to nationwide planning coverage
Additional bulletins to extend the resilience of the sector and help its progress embody:
- Plans to chop the pink tape at the moment holding farmers again from delivering initiatives on their land to diversify their incomes, reminiscent of repurposing farm buildings to make use of as outlets, with a name for proof later this 12 months.
- Rising water safety by accelerating work on water provide infrastructure, in order that farmers can rely on regular entry to water, together with in intervals of intense dry climate.
It additionally set out a variety of measures to again our farmers by serving to to help home manufacturing, unfold jobs and develop the financial system, alongside the work of the UK Agriculture Partnership which brings collectively key stakeholders from throughout the UK to establish the best way to deal with shared points going through the agricultural sector.
Additionally, 22 modern and ground-breaking initiatives have been awarded a share of £6.2 million of funding by way of the Seafood Innovation Fund, as a part of the federal government’s UK Seafood Fund. The successful initiatives will improve the UK seafood sector’s productiveness and sustainability, starting from an on-land cultivation system for seaweed, to cutting-edge packaging developments that enhance the shelf lifetime of seafood.
