Labour's 'lack of commitment' on farming puts UK food security on a 'knife's edge'

Labour's silence over Britain's agriculture budget is a threat to UK food security and British farmers whose ability to make a profit is "on a knife edge", the president of the National Farmers' Union has said.

Tom Bradshaw said confidence among Britain's farmers is at rock bottom with concerns over the level of support for British farmers and whether food production in this country will be a priority for whichever party forms the next government.

The NFU wants a fresh look at Britain's agriculture budget in the next parliament to help farmers tackle a raft of challenges, including climate change, food security and how best to boost domestic production.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged in the Conservative manifesto to ringfence agriculture funding, increase the UK-wide farming budget by £1 billion for the next parliament and ensure it rises with inflation each year.

But Sir Keir Starmer's party does no such thing, neither putting a figure on the budget nor ring-fencing a vital source of support for Britain's farmers and food producers.

Mr Bradshaw welcomed food and agriculture featuring more heavily in party manifestoes compared with past elections, with food security now tied more to Britain's national security.

He told Express.co.uk: "Labour has made no commitment in relation to the agriculture budget. This is really concerning as it underpins farming - it's the foundation of Britain's largest manufacturing sector. That budget is pivotal. It's very concerning we have not seen that commitment from Labour.

"Looking at the profitability of the farming sector, it's on a knife edge."

The NFU president continued: "Labour is saying it wants to see the state of public finances before making a commitment and something will come after the autumn spending review, but there's no ring-fenced commitment in their manifesto and that's hugely concerning."

After Brexit, the last government committed to maintaining around £2.4bn a year in farm support, equal to that provided by the European Union's common agricultural policy.

Mr Bradshaw welcomed Labour's commitment to food standards but said it is pivotal the next agriculture budget recognises the cost to farmers of helping Britain deliver goals around food production and climate change.

He said: "The rural vote is still up for grabs. We're looking for someone who can bring our confidence back. [Labour not detailing its budget plan] will make farmers really question whether Labour is interested in food production in Britain."

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay accused Labour of treating farmers with "contempt" ahead of Mr Sunak campaigning in South West England on Tuesday (June 18), as he promotes Conservative plans to boost the farming budget and keep inheritance tax relief for farmers.

Farmers last week blasted Labour after the party dedicated a measly 87 words to farming in its 131-page manifesto.

Britain's farmers have faced a perfect storm in recent years, with economic shocks sparked by the war in Ukraine, Brexit and extreme weather.

Liz Webster from the campaign group Save British Farming, which led a tractor demo in London to protest the Agriculture Bill in March, said British farming is in crisis as cheap imports undercut UK produce, supermarkets squeeze suppliers and farmers grapple with the challenge of sourcing seasonal labour.

She said Britain needs to free up trade with the EU and get rid of "bad" trade deals, which she said allow the UK to import food produced at lower standards than those demanded of British farmers.

Ms Webster said: "[The next government's] priority should be understanding that the only way to settle the cost-of-living crisis is by having as much domestic food production as possible and that is only possible by getting rid of trade barriers with our biggest market (the EU).

"The single market protected us from the ravages of big producers from around the world... We're in a disastrous place. We need to protect our food system, which means investment in domestic production and freeing up trade with the countries we also rely on to feed us."

Mr Bradshaw said the NFU's "number one ask" is for a commitment around the farming budget, but core standards in trade also mattered. He said: "There's a feeling we're willing to offshore our production to parts of the world where they have lower standards. Everything we buy should be produced to the same standards."

The NFU chief said part of guaranteeing Britain's food security involves reducing barriers in planning to encourage the farming industry to invest in infrastructure. But above all, Mr Bradshaw said farmers want action more than party rhetoric.

He said: "The manifestoes recognise food production is part of national security. We need policies that will underpin food production. Words won't keep people fed."