The National Farmers Union is calling on the public to turn around a decline in self-sufficiency and back a pledge to support domestic production.
Warning that the UK only currently produces 62 per cent of the food it eats, the NFU has urged the public to sign a new charter that backs British farming and an increase in home-grown production.
“As an industry we have had a challenging decade but the realisation has dawned that as a nation we can’t simply go around the world chasing the cheapest deal for our food,” warned NFU president Peter Kendall.
Kendall has urged consumers to demand more from food producers and the industry itself. He added:“Consumers are increasingly showing their support for British farming and are our best ally. I would ask them to continue showing their support by demanding of their local supermarket, restaurant, or MP – what are you doing to Back British Farming?
“I couldn’t agree more with David Cameron when he said that ‘farmers are the backbone of Britain’. I am immensely proud of British farming, and I urge everyone that cares about British food to sign our pledge.”
Kendall's stance has been praised by Waitrose, with the retailer claiming that increasing levels of British-sourced food is one of its priorities.
Waitrose' director of agriculture, Heather Jenkins, said: “It’s great to see to see the NFU championing British food and short supply chains - something we have done for many years. Central to the way we source all our food is our British-focused best-in-season policy.'
According to the NFU, 78 per cent of British consumers want supermarkets to stock more British food products.
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