Government must make food security a top priority in 2024 against the backdrop of this year's unprecedented challenges that farmers faced, the NFU president has said.
In her new year message, Minette Batters said the past 12 months saw soaring production costs, global turmoil from the Ukraine war and extreme weather.
Farmers also saw significant delays to the future of farm payments, all of which had "put the resilience of British farmers at risk".
Despite this, the NFU president said farmers saw 'incredible successes' for their industry, including the public's 'unwavering support'.
"It is heartening to see the public’s recognition and appreciation for the vital work farmers do 365 days of the year to produce climate friendly food, care for livestock, and protect and enhance the environment we all know and love.
"The British public clearly value our farmers and growers, with 82% being in favour of the government setting food security targets.
"I cannot thank the public enough for their support; it has been crucial during the turbulence of the past few years."
However, Mrs Batters added that there was 'still much to do' regarding food security, as the government was "still a long way behind on its commitments".
"As a matter of urgency, our national food security must now be embedded into the Sustainable Farming Initiative," she went on to say.
"With 50% of Basic Payment Scheme payments capped, the tapering of payments to 2027 is very concerning for farmers.
"England is the only country in the G20 to be stepping back from a commitment to produce food and the disparity of payment rates between grassland and arable land must be addressed."
She said the NFU had always maintained that food production and delivering more for nature and the environment must be treated as two sides of the same coin.
"Food security must be a top priority for any government and investing in our farming and growing sector is essential for productivity, job creation, and economic and environmental delivery."
Mrs Batters concluded: "This new year, let’s build on the momentum of the public’s unwavering support and forge a path towards a resilient and thriving British agricultural sector so we can continue what we do best – producing great British food."
