UK growers will take calls to government on 17 November in collaboration with Morrisons
Representatives from across the UK fresh produce sector will take their calls for urgent water policy reform to the House of Lords on 17 November.
The occasion will bring producers, supply chain partners and policymakers together following a year-long collaboration between leading growers, Harper Adams University’s School of Sustainable Food & Farming (SSFF) and retailer Morrisons.
Representatives will call on the government to develop practical recommendations to strengthen water resilience and support UK food security.
Currently, farmers and growers face a multitude of hurdles regarding water access such as rigid restrictions around water abstraction licences and barriers to reservoir planning permission.
Those in attendance will present key recommendations to parliamentarians and stakeholders, highlighting the actions needed to ensure water policy supports environmental outcomes and food resilience.
The event comes as over two thirds of England was declared officially in drought this summer following record lows of rainfall, and exceptionally high temperatures.
FPJ has reported the impact of the drought on crops such as onions, brassicas, potatoes and peas, all of which have suffered losses in yield, volume or quality.
Alex Hardie, business development manager at SSFF, said: “Water is no longer simply an environmental issue. It is a food security issue, an economic issue and an investment issue.
“Our industry wants to be part of the solution, but growers need the confidence that policy and regulation will support long-term investment in resilience,” he added.
The project has identified four key policy priorities, bringing together perspectives from growers, retailers and water experts.
Food production and food security should be at the heart of water policy, they said, requiring regulatory reform that provides greater certainty for long-term investment.
Making water storage a national priority is also key, and planning and funding mechanisms should enable growers to capture water when it is abundant and use it when needed most.
Other policy priorities involve addressing water quality and availability as being intrinsically linked, and investing in future-focused research and evidence.
Jon Hammond, director at Hammond Produce, said: “You cannot talk about food security without talking about water security. Every fruit and vegetable grower understands the importance of managing water responsibly, but the reality is that the challenges are becoming greater and more frequent.”
Alice Liddle, agricultural manager at Morrisons, emphasised that collaboration was key to progress. She said: “What has been particularly encouraging is the strong consensus emerging from across the sector.
“There is widespread recognition that food production and food security must be given greater prominence within water policy, alongside the regulatory certainty needed to unlock investment in resilience,” she added.
