Former Director General of MI5, said homegrown food
production is integral to our national security, at the NFU’s
2022 Henry Plumb Memorial Lecture.
In the current time of international crisis, with conflicts such
as the war in Ukraine putting pressure on energy security and
global food supply, she said the Government needs to be
consistent in planning for our food supply, as it is a part of
the UK’s national infrastructure.
Speaking at the event, she said: “I believe that food is part of
our critical national security, including the essential workers
that grow it and harvest it, the farmers that produce our crops,
meat, vegetables, fruit and even wine.
“British farmers are under immense pressure. The doubling of
fertiliser prices, soaring energy costs, shortages of seasonal
workers and apprehension about trade deals are all impacting the
farmers that produce our food and we urgently need policy to
address this.
“Unless we pay serious and thorough attention to our food
security, we risk being increasingly subject to global shocks. We
need to acknowledge that we should produce as much of our own
food as possible and to be able to export what we can, both for
growth in the UK economy and to help feed the world.”
NFU President Minette Batters said: “It was an honour to have The
speak at the NFU’s Henry
Plumb Memorial Lecture. was a remarkable man, and it was
fitting to have such a prominent speaker give a lecture in his
name.
“I was pleased to hear The Baroness say what the NFU has been
highlighting for a number of years; that we must take British
food security more seriously, particularly in a time
when global volatility is threatening the stability of the
world’s food production, food security and energy security.
“As British farmers we produce both climate-friendly food and
renewable energy and we want to deliver more. For this to
happen, we need our government to honour the commitments made by
Prime Minister to set a target for our
nation’s food security, with a statutory duty to report on
domestic food levels.”
