What needs to be done to ensure that UK agriculture is more competitive and able to make a significant contribution to food security?

  • We need leadership from government and the industry on the issue of food security and a clear strategy for the role of agriculture
  • The objective should be to increase total food production as well as the efficiency of production in the UK, and will have to be achieved against a background of high energy costs and the need to reduce environmental pollutants from production systems
  • It is essential that the regulatory framework for agriculture does not put UK agriculture at a competitive disadvantage
  • A major element of competitiveness is the need for a clear strategy in agricultural R&D to create innovation and develop new technologies. Sadly agricultural R&D has been severely eroded by policies on R&D over the past 25 years