Professor Tim Lang told the NFU conference that British food supply chains are unable withstand shocks such as geopolitical turmoil or cyber warfare
A long-term focus on efficiency has made British food supply chains vulnerable and unable to withstand increasing shocks to the food system.
That was the stark message from Professor Tim Lang addressing the NFU Conference today (24 February), outlining his findings from two years of research and a major inquiry into the resilience of UK food supply.
The talk was based on Lang’s report to the National Preparedness Commission last hear, which found the UK is not prepared for food shocks, which may include any combination of pandemics, climate, geopolitical turmoil or cyber attacks.
Addressing the conference, which had a theme of resilience in farming, Lang said: “What we glorify as efficiency, is now vulnerability. Lean, efficient supply chains are vulnerable.
”When we look at the shocks, the range that is normalised is a new combination. Pandemics, climate disruption, food weaponisation; it is a new reality.”
“This conference focus on resilience is really on target,” said Lang, who said he agreed with NFU’s president Tom Bradshaw’s call for government ambition to increase UK food self-sufficiency, outlined in his keynote address.
Lang’s report, which is called Just in Case and is available to read for free online, outlined several recommendations to improve the UK’s resilience and preparedness for food shocks.
As well as increasing production, he recommended a more regionalised and localised supply chain; ending below cost price selling of British products that undermines high standards; and more storage facilities for food.
He also urged farming delegates, particularly those in commodity supply, to “be creative” about how they would feed their region during and after a food shock.
“One of the key findings from listening to farming for this report, is that we’re too marketised,” he said. “We’re not thinking about if the water system went down, could we feed the local area. I want to involve you in the creativity of that. I’ve never known farmers not to be creative. Be creative about how you would feed the population in, and after, shocks.”
Lang called on government to create a Food Security and Resilience Act, which he said would provide clarity around the purpose of food systems.
“The purpose of food systems is to feed people. How? What? In what circumstances?,” he said, adding that “The assumption that others can feed us is hardwired us in the UK state system. Other countries are preparing. Others are stockpiling.
“The Climate Change Act has given some framework [on climate]. That’s why we don’t stop talking about it. We need that now for food resilience,“ he said. “Food should be a Prime Ministerial, not just a [Defra] ministerial, priority.”
Increased production is key to resilience
The UK must turn around its declining production of key food staples, including vegetables, if it is to secure the resilience of the sector and national food security, according to NFU president Tom Bradshaw.
Delivering a keynote address at the conference, taking place at Birmingham’s International Conference Centre (ICC) this week, Bradshaw said: “We cannot keep relying on other people to feed us.
”One of our cornerstones to national resilience, must be a long-term plan for farming and food production. A resilient food system isn’t optional,” he continued. ”We have a world-leading industry here and ready to deliver. Our sector has real potential for growth.”
“Resilience means the burden of risk is shared,” said Bradshaw. “If we get this right, Britain’s farmers will invest in the on-farm infrastructure to deliver a food system that will drive domestic growth at a rural, local level.”
Welcoming the government U-turn on inheritance tax reforms, Bradshaw said focus must now switch to growth and reversing the declines in UK production.
“The years of declining food production must end now,” he said. “We need the government to show ambition to reverse this. And from that, must come with an ambition to drive on-farm growth.”
Add value to navigate changing world, farmers urged
Changing food habits as population rates decline and health starts to dominate as a trend in western cultures means farmers need to work harder to add value to what they produce, according to a senior food analyst at Rabobank.
Harry Smit used his presentation at the NFU Conference to highlight how global markets are shifting, from shrinking populations and low prosperity, and an increasing impact of health trends on food choices.
“It’s good to notice that food markets are growing,” he said. “But most of the growth will be value. Traditionally, most value growth ends up in the pockets of the food industry, not with farmers.”
He highlighted regenerative farming and health as two trends that are affecting consumer food habits in the UK, including the driver of new weight loss medication meaning people eat less overall. This could lead to opportunities for food producers to champion the value of ‘good, simple food’, as well as opportunities to replace junk food snacking habits.
Smit also highlighted Dutch producers’ tendency to cooperate, as a way for farmers and growers to share risk and add value.
“There is a continental European culture of cooperation and ’together for the whole community’,” he said. “Whereas the Anglo [mentality], is a bit more, ‘I can do it alone and I want to do it alone’.
“A cooperative has always been seen as a way to add value in Europe. To create more value at home but also to export to other markets,” he said.
