51AVÊÓÆµ

Food production needs to hard-wired back into ag policy, Efra Committee Chair says

Is there enough emphasis placed on food production's role in supporting not only nature restoration, but flood management, climate change mitigation and food security?

Chris Brayford
clock • 3 min read
Efra Committee Chair Alistair Carmichael said: "One of the big difficulties we have with agricultural policy in this country, especially in England but not exclusively in England, we have sent food production and nature restoration, and flood management and climate change mitigation and all the rest of it, as being set up against each other, when they are absolutely not. If we are going to see long-term security for this industry and for food security in this country, then getting food production hard-wired back into agricultural policy is going to be absolutely critical."
Image:

Efra Committee Chair Alistair Carmichael said: "One of the big difficulties we have with agricultural policy in this country, especially in England but not exclusively in England, we have sent food production and nature restoration, and flood management and climate change mitigation and all the rest of it, as being set up against each other, when they are absolutely not. If we are going to see long-term security for this industry and for food security in this country, then getting food production hard-wired back into agricultural policy is going to be absolutely critical."

The foundation of agricultural policy must be built on a solid foundation of producing food for the nation, with a farming MP having argued that it has been seen as distinctive from the UK's environmental...

To continue reading...

Already a member? Login for full access.

New to Farmers Guardian? Register for 1 free article per week or become a member for unlimited access to essential farming news and insights.

article-img-580x358

Ìý

More on Politics

Welsh Election 2026 - Llyr Gruffydd: "It is time for a rural reset. Plaid Cymru will back our family farms"

Welsh Election 2026 - Llyr Gruffydd: "It is time for a rural reset. Plaid Cymru will back our family farms"

Llyr Gruffydd writes on how Plaid Cymru will deliver a new era of putting farming and rural policy at the heart of Welsh Government if it wins the Senedd Election

Llyr Gruffydd
clock 08 April 2026 • 3 min read
'Who is going to feed you now?' - Family farm tax 'betrayal' intensifies calls for policy to be scrapped

'Who is going to feed you now?' - Family farm tax 'betrayal' intensifies calls for policy to be scrapped

The farming sector still has unfinished business when it comes to taking the fight to Government on Inheritance Tax

Chris Brayford
clock 07 April 2026 • 6 min read
Ploughing through Politics with Victoria Atkins: IHT, Brexit and the Future of Farming | For Flock's Sake Ep.1

Ploughing through Politics with Victoria Atkins: IHT, Brexit and the Future of Farming | For Flock's Sake Ep.1

On the premiere episode of For Flock's Sake – Farmers Guardian's dedicated young farmer podcast – Ellie Layton and Tom Ryder are joined by Conservative MP and Shadow Defra Secretary Victoria Atkins

clock 07 April 2026 • 1 min read