Labour's proposal to introduce a National Food Commission to oversee UK food security would represent an opportunity for British farmers, the NFU says.
Shadow Defra secretary Due Hayman announced the plan on Tuesday (24 September) during the Labour party conference.
Any future Labour government would set a target of ending the need for food banks altogether within its first three years, she said.
This would require different food security measures to be taken across several local and central government departments.
The party would ensure that everyone in the UK has a 'right to food' by enshrining it in UK law, in a new Fair Food Act.
The new law would create a National Food Commission to monitor food security, make recommendations to governments and oversee all aspects of the food system in Britain.
NFU president Minette Batters agreed that more needs to be done to create opportunities to supply food banks and schools with 'high quality, affordable British produce'.
She said: “When tackling food inequality, all aspects of food sourcing needs to be considered and it is important not to trade the standards and integrity of food to increase affordability.
“As British citizens, farmers here subscribe to high standards of ethics and food safety which should not be undermined.
“Farmers are well placed to continue to provide safe and affordable food for everyone, but this cannot be achieved if we outsource our industry and ethical conscious abroad and create an unlevel playing field.”
Labour have also proposed an Access to Food Fund to kick start the development of local community food plans.
