The UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announced a package of measures to support farmers and grow the UK’s farming and food sector. This includes:
• Further support for farmers and growers affected by wet weather
• New plan to increase domestic production in the UK horticulture sector
• Food Security Index published setting out key data and trends
• New farming grants to help boost farm businesses
It includes a new Blueprint for Growing the UK Fruit and Vegetable Sector, setting out how industry and government can work together to increase domestic production and drive investment into this valuable sector. The plan involves:
- Ensuring the sector has access to affordable and sustainable energy and water
- Cutting planning red tape to make it easier and quicker to build glasshouses
- New investment to boost innovation in the sector, where Defra will look to double to £80 million the amount of funding given to horticulture businesses when compared to the EU legacy Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme.
For more information, you can read the full announcement on GOV.UK.