It was a long time coming, and after the huge independent review produced by Henry Dimbleby in July last year, had promised much. When we finally got to see the Government’s much anticipated National Food Strategy the reaction by many people was: “Is that it?”
Almost 300 pages of recommendations had been reduced to a policy of just 30 pages, with headline measures including encouraging people to eat more venison. There were to be no new taxes on salt or sugar, no plans to encourage people to eat less meat and no joined-up thinking between food and public health policies, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson saying, “What we don’t want to do right now is start whacking new taxes on them that will just push up the cost of food.”
Mr Johnson chose to launch the document at vegetable grower Southern England Farms in Hayle where he picked courgettes, drove a tractor and spoke to farm manager Gordon Stokes. Given the labour crisis faced by growers, many hoped that he would learn about the negative effects that many government policies around free trade and immigration are having on our sector.
One of the ambitions set out in the new document is an aim to increase domestic production of fruit and vegetables, something that the industry has long championed. However, with growers around the country cutting back on production because they cannot get crops harvested, there appears to be a huge disconnect between what the government is saying, and practical policy. As David Simmons of Riviera Produce points out, UK brassica production has contracted 20% thus year due to government policy.
Food ‘Tsar’ Henry Dimbleby himself was critical of the Government’s document, saying the plan was “not a strategy,” adding: “It doesn’t set out a clear vision as to why we have the problems we have now and it doesn’t set out what needs to be done.”
The NFU cautiously welcomed the document, but like many stressed that the devil will be in the detail which is lacking from the plans. “The strategy represents a clear milestone,” said NFU President Minette Batters. “The government is recognising the importance of domestic food production, maintaining our productive capacity and growing more food in this country, particularly at a time when the war in Ukraine has focused attention on the importance and fragility of our global food security. Food production will always be core to a nation’s resilience and I’m pleased the government has recognised this.”
However, she warned, “We now need to see this strategy develop into clear delivery and investment to capitalise on the benefits food and farming delivers for the country, such as our world-leading standards of animal welfare, environmental protection and food safety.”
British Growers Association chief executive Jack Ward is right to say, “There are some really positive elements in the white paper, particularly the indication of support for food production.” But he is equally right to warn that “[Policy is] moving at glacial pace when it comes to specifics.”
This Government has often been accused of saying one thing and doing something completely different. Farmers and growers will hope this is not the case when it comes to food policies.
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