Maddie Dunn writes in The Grocer on the UK government’s recently published Farming Roadmap

Food security and agricultural productivity sit at the heart of the UK Government's newly published Farming Profitability Review, which sets out a vision for the future of British farming. While the roadmap is presented as a positive step forward, questions remain over whether its ambitions go far enough to address the challenges facing the sector.

A key point of discussion is the roadmap’s focus on maintaining current levels of domestic food production rather than increasing them. British farmers produce only around 65% of the food consumed nationally, raising the question of whether emphasis should be placed on improving self-sufficiency and strengthening the resilience of the UK's food supply chain.

The roadmap recognises the link between profitability and environmental stewardship, noting that successful farms are often those that work alongside environmental objectives. This principle could provide the foundation for a trajectory that supports both sustainable growth and increased food production.

British agriculture has the capability, expertise and resources to deliver higher levels of domestic production while continuing to meet environmental goals. Conversations sparked by the Farming Profitability Review spotlight the opportunity to pursue an integrated vision for the future of the sector.

Maddie Dunn, Legal Director & Agricultural Dispute Resolution Specialist in our Dispute Resolution team, writes in The Grocer:

The government’s recently published Farming Roadmap is, on its face, a welcome (if long-awaited) development. There is a fair bit to be cautiously optimistic about within the roadmap, but a closer look reveals a gap between the issues the document identifies and how it suggests they can be addressed.

Read the full article in The Grocer here.