The Government’s Food Strategy “will back farmers in my constituency” Rachel said.
The first ever Food Strategy, published on Monday (June 13th), sets out how the Government will back local farmers in Redditch and across the country by helping to increase domestic production, spread jobs and grow the economy.
The Strategy includes incentives for industry and investment in research, and will support farmers to harness this innovation to boost home-grown fruit and vegetable production, and in turn create new job opportunities across the country.
In light of the consequences of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine for the global economy, which has caused knock on impacts for food supplies as well as spikes in prices, the Strategy will also set out the importance of maintaining and boosting our food security, including plans to strengthen the resilience of our supply chains and boost domestic production to help protect against future economic shocks and crises.
It commits to broadly maintaining the current level of food that we produce domestically and boosting production in sectors where there are the biggest opportunities – such as horticulture and seafood.
£270 million will be invested across farming innovation funding programmes until 2029, to unlock technologies to drive sustainable farming techniques which will help increase productivity and profitability and the sector’s long-term resilience.
As well as stepping up work with industry to identify ways to help more people into jobs all along the food supply chain, the strategy also sets out plans to create a new professional body for the farming and growing industry to step up professional training and develop clear career pathways, equipping people and businesses with the skills needed to run sustainable and profitable businesses.
In welcoming the Strategy, Rachel said:
“Having met recently with local farmers in the constituency, we discussed the need to increase domestic production, particularly in light of Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine.
“I very much welcome the Government’s Food Strategy which will help us achieve this goal and will back farmers in my constituency by harnessing new technologies and innovation.
“This Strategy will also help protect my constituents against the impacts of future economic shocks by safeguarding our food security.”
