The government has said that the UK needs to set an example for sustainable food production, while remaining competitive in the international market.

In an address to the International Food & Drink Exhibition in London this week, minister of state for farming and the environment Jane Kennedy urged suppliers to help increase the UK’s competitiveness in Europe and stated a desire to move the focus away from food miles.

She said: “[When we look to tackle climate change] the food sector is on the front line. It is also the first to feel its effects. A recent study estimated that, across the EU, food production and consumption accounts for nearly a third of our climate change impacts.

“Despite the public perception that food miles are the problem, most of these impacts arise at primary production stage. So if we are to feed global populations in the future, we have to find ways of producing enough food in a socially, environmentally and economically sustainable way.

“We realise that for the UK to remain competitive we need to continue to grow our share of international markets. The competitive environment for the food and drink sectors is tough and getting tougher. This puts new pressures on suppliers, as consumer trends continue to shift and the single European market grows.”

The UK can become a world leader in sustainable food production by developing solutions that use fewer natural resources, Kennedy concluded.

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