Boosting British fresh produce: UK government unveils package of support for food and farming

15 May 2024 --- The UK government has announced a significant series of measures designed to support local farmers and grow the country’s farming and food sector. 

The package, unveiled at the Farm to Fork Summit hosted by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is expected to support domestic food production, boost innovation in the sector, support it to reach its economic potential and recruit the next generation of farming and food leaders.

This includes a new blueprint for Growing the UK Fruit and Vegetable Sector, which sets out how industry and government can work together to increase domestic production and drive investment into this valuable sector, which is worth more than £4 billion (US$5.037 billion) to the UK economy.

Plans to boost innovation 
The plan involves ensuring and sustainable energy and water, cutting planning red tape to make it easier and quicker to build glasshouses and a new investment to boost innovation in the sector. 

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) will also look to double £80 million (US$100.8 million) in funding given to horticulture businesses compared to the EU legacy Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme.

Further, the Farm to Fork Summit saw the publication of the first draft Food Security Index, setting out key data and trends to allow the government and industry to safeguard the UK’s food security. 

The UK government has set out how it will provide further support for farmers affected by the wet weather. 

Building on the government’s commitment to extend the Farming Recovery Fund to support flooded farmers, temporary adjustments will be made for farmers and land managers where the wet weather has made carrying out the requirements of Environmental Land Management Schemes difficult. 

There will also be £75 million (US$94.5 million) to support internal drainage boards (IDBs), accelerating recovery from the winter 2023-24 storms and providing opportunities to modernize and upgrade assets that benefit and support resilience for farms and rural communities.

The government has also announced further action to ensure fairness across the food supply chain, committing to delivering regulations to improve fairness in the fresh produce and egg sectors.

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay says: “Food security is vital to our national security, which is why this summit is so important, bringing together government and key representatives from the farming and food sector at Downing Street.”

“The announcements will turbocharge the growth of our horticultural sector, supporting the building of cutting-edge glasshouses and innovative farming techniques to put British fruit and vegetables on our plates all year round.”

The latest announcements are expected to “turbocharge” the growth of the UK’s horticultural sector, supporting farming techniques to make British fruit and vegetables more available.Meanwhile, farming minister Mark Spencer adds: “The government will always support British farmers. Food production is the primary purpose of farming, and our farmers and food producers work hard to keep the nation fed despite challenges, including flooding.”

“Supporting our farmers and food producers is at the heart of our plans and we are committed to working with them. We are pressing on with our plan by investing in food security and resilient farming businesses, providing business advice and cutting unnecessary red tape.”

Growing a healthy F&B sector
Applications for grants to support the development and adoption of novel techniques for improving nutrient management will open this month.

The government is launching the latest round of Genetic Improvement Networks, supported by up to £15 million (US$18.9 million) in funding over the next five years, to boost breeding research for key UK crops. This will harness the opportunities of its recent Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act to help farmers and breeders produce stronger, more sustainable and resilient crops.

Growing a profitable and investible food and drink sector entails continuing work to ensure fairness in the supply chain. 

The government has already delivered on its commitment at last year’s Farm to Fork Summit to change permitted development rights to facilitate farm businesses’ diversification. The new changes will come into effect on May 21, 2024. 

It has continued to unlock trade barriers for UK companies. In 2023, government resolved agri-food barriers estimated to have a potential increase in exports of £1.4 billion (US$1.765 billion) over five years. Defra has secured new market access for poultry meat and pork exports to Vietnam, an opportunity valued at around £25 million (US$31.5 million) over five years.

Edited by Elizabeth Green