Food security and productivity should top Liz Truss’ agenda, says industry

New leader of the Conservative Party, and prime minister in waiting, Liz Truss has been urged to up her level of ambition for UK agriculture, introducing policies to raise productivity and bolster food security.

Ms Truss, who secured more than 81,000 party member votes compared with just over 60,000 for her rival Rishi Sunak, will be confirmed as the new prime minister after her meeting with the Queen at Balmoral on Tuesday (6 September).

See also: Ag inflation soars on fertiliser, feed and energy cost rises

In her acceptance speech, she praised her predecessor Boris Johnson, and promised she would “deliver, deliver, deliver” for the British people, emphasising the need to tackle the cost-of-living crisis.

For agriculture, Countryside Land and Business Association (CLA) president Mark Tufnell said there was a dire need for an ambitious strategy for the rural economy.

“Years of neglect have led to an 18% productivity gap between the rural economy and the national average,” he said, suggesting that closing this gap would add £43bn to UK’s gross value added.

“As PM, Liz Truss must go for growth, laying out in detail her plans to deliver genuine planning reform, full connectivity, a simpler tax system for diversified businesses, and a Whitehall shake-up to encourage cross-departmental co-operation.

“Otherwise, her party risks losing the hearts and minds of 12 million rural voters.”

Commitment

NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy also urged Ms Truss to show an “unequivocable commitment” to the importance of food security across the UK.

“Unsustainable costs around the likes of electricity and fertiliser are creating a crisis of confidence around food production that government must tackle as a priority,” he said.

Such an approach would set the conditions for a thriving farming sector “that sees shelves stocked with nutritious, sustainably produced, and affordable British food”.

Mr Kennedy also called for a change of direction and industry engagement on trade policy – one of Ms Truss’ previous areas of responsibility. 

“Rather than agriculture being used as a pawn, we need an approach to trade policy that is fair, and an agricultural policy that has production at its heart.”

NFU president Minette Batters also stressed the importance of British farmers in providing the nation with a supply of home-grown food.

“It is essential that British farming has a vibrant and sustainable future, particularly as it moves into a new domestic agricultural policy and continues to grapple with the rising costs facing all farm businesses.”

Decisive action

Meanwhile, Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner said he had every confidence that, as a rural MP, Ms Truss understood the need for “swift and decisive action” to tackle the rural cost-of-living crisis.

“We have also been heartened by Liz’s understanding during the leadership campaign that rural communities are the solution to the challenges facing our environment, not the problem, and look forward to government policy reflecting that.”

Mr Bonner set out three priorities for the new-look government:

• Address the cost-of-living crisis for rural areas
• Secure the supply of British food
• Develop rural communities with better infrastructure

The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers spokesman, Tony Goodger, urged Ms Truss to honour her campaign pledges, by tearing up red tape, reducing electricity bills and reforming the Skilled Worker Visa system, to address the ongoing shortage of labour in the meat industry.