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The Department of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
has kicked off a wide-ranging consultation on the
long-term security of the UK food supply chain.
Secretary of state Hilary Benn announced the move
yesterday (17 July), with the paper ? dubbed ?Ensuring
the UK?s food security in a changing world? ? set to
examine whether the UK food supply chain is robust
enough to cope with a number of long-term challenges.
The paper sets out five key issues, with the Government
inviting comment from farmers, consumer groups and food
retailers.
?The UK currently has a secure food supply. In fact we
are more self-sufficient now than we were in the 1950s.
But recent food price rises across the world have shone
a light on the challenges all countries face in ensuring
food supplies at reasonable prices, particularly as the
global population rises and the impacts of climate
change and rising oil prices are felt,? said Benn.
?That?s why it?s sensible to think about the impact of
these challenges so that we can plan effectively for the
future and identify any further steps that may be
needed, bearing in mind that as well as domestic
production ? which is very important ? we also rely on
being able to import food.?
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