15 Sep 2026
Last week’s Back British Farming Day saw the NFU publish a new report warning that Britain is producing less of many everyday foods than it did 30 years ago.
Ready to Grow: Unlocking British Farming’s Economic Potential finds that UK self-sufficiency has fallen in ten of the 11 major food commodities examined, including wheat, vegetables, beef, poultry meat and eggs. Over the same period, agri-food import volumes have increased by 70%, while export volumes have stalled.
The NFU argues that farmers’ ability to invest and expand is being constrained by rising costs, extreme weather, disease, policy uncertainty and the planning system.
It is calling on government to set ambitious targets for homegrown food alongside measures supporting investment, infrastructure and long-term business confidence.
The report also highlights farming’s wider importance to rural economies and communities.
Agriculture contributes billions of pounds in economic value across England and Wales, supports thousands of jobs and underpins the wider food and drink sector.
With the NFU reporting that 93% of British households believe maintaining or increasing UK food self-sufficiency is important, it says strengthening domestic production should form a central part of the country’s approach to food security and economic resilience.
