In his address to the National Farmers' Union (NFU) conference, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged a renewed commitment to food security, acknowledging

concerns from farmers that agriculture hasn't received the same level of strategic importance as energy and the environment.

Highlighting the critical link between food security and national security, Sunak pointed to recent events, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which led to spikes in food and energy prices. As part of his response, Sunak outlined several initiatives, including increased funding for select farming schemes and the introduction of an annual food security index.

Since the UK's departure from the European Union in 2020, the country has developed its own agricultural policy, moving away from the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Sunak acknowledged the challenges of this transition, expressing understanding for the frustrations felt and the need to strike the right balance.

NFU President Minette Batters emphasized the importance of giving food security equal strategic priority to the environment and energy, urging all political parties to commit to this goal ahead of an anticipated general election later in the year. She highlighted an existing imbalance in government policy, stressing the necessity for changes to prevent further loss of farms.

Echoing sentiments expressed in recent farmer protests across Europe, Batters noted shared concerns and frustrations among UK farmers, citing unsustainable production costs and crop losses due to extreme weather events as significant pressures facing farming families. Photo by HM Treasury, Wikimedia commons.