The UK must stop relying on imports and fix diets by doubling the land used to grow fruit and vegetables using nature-friendly farming, according to a new report from environment charities. The Soil Association, Sustain and The Wildlife Trusts are calling for farmers and growers to be given a fair deal and put in the driving seat to deliver sustainable food security and healthy diets.
Launched today (Wednesday 26 June) at Groundswell farming festival*, the report highlights the “vulnerability” of UK horticulture. It warns that public health will be further at risk if current trends continue and production declines further.
The charities have penned the report to raise the alarm over the fact that imports account for most of fruit and nearly half of veg consumed in the UK, while less than a third of people eat their five a day.
They call for government intervention to back sustainable, British farmers and growers, and for land used for horticulture in England to double. This would only be a small change to take it from 2% to 4% of farmland.
Report co-author and Soil Association senior policy officer Lucia Monje-Jelfs said: “British fruit and veg is in crisis. Our diets are costing the NHS billions every year and the countries we import from are being hit by the impacts of climate change. We should be increasing our homegrown produce. But instead, many growers fear for the survival of their businesses and our fruit and vegetable consumption has fallen to the lowest level in half a century. If we scaled up agroecological horticulture, boosting access to healthy and sustainable food across the country, we could help to reverse the public health disaster, slash farming emissions, and restore wildlife. The next government must act to support the country’s growers.”