wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_13
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-21 conversation_13

Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to support food production in the UK to increase food security. \p Daniel Zeichner: As we set out in our Plan for Change, we are focused on supporting our farmers, supporting rural economic growth and boosting Britain’s food security. This includes:

o Seasonal workers: At the NFU conference, the Government announced extending the Seasonal Worker visa route for five more years giving farms a pipeline of workers and certainty to grow their businesses. Annual quota reviews will ensure we strike the right balance – supporting farms while gradually transitioning away from seasonal migrant labour. reducing visa numbers as we develop alternative solutions.

o Backing British produce: British farmers handed a major boost under new requirements for government catering contracts to favour high-quality, products that local farms and producers are well placed to serve. The move marks a major leap in achieving the government’s ambition, for at least 50% of food supplied into the £5 billion public sector catering contracts to be from British producers or those certified to higher environmental standards where this is consistent with our domestic and international legal obligations.

o Using planning reforms to support food production: Ensuring our reforms make it quicker for farmers to build the buildings, barns and other infrastructure they need on their farms to boost food production.

o Diversifying income streams: Helping farmers make additional money from selling surplus energy from solar panels and wind turbines by accelerating connections to the grid and support them during difficult harvests and supply shocks.

o A fairer supply chain: The Government is committed to making the supply chain fairer, with new regulations for the pig sector coming in by the end of March 2025 to make sure contracts clearly set out expectations and only allow changes if they have been agreed by all parties. We are engaging with industry on similar proposals for eggs and fresh produce.

o £110 million investment in technology: The Farming Innovation Programme which supports research and development of agri-technology for farmers, for example the chemical free cleaning for integrated milking equipment, which lowers energy costs and chemical use. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund provides grants of up to £25,000 to buy equipment. The list of available items will be published in due course.

o Protecting farmers in trade deals: The government will uphold and protect our high environmental and animal welfare standards in future trade deals.

o Strengthening Britain’s biosecurity: Setting up a new National Biosecurity Centre to transform the Animal and Plant Health Agency animal health facility at Weybridge, investing £200 million to improve our resilience against animal disease to protect farmers and food producers.

o Investing £5 billion into farming over the next two years – the largest ever directed at sustainable food production and in our country’s history.