The NFU is urging the government to give food production equal priority to environmental goals in the Land Use Framework (LUF), warning that food security is at risk if it doesn’t.
In its response to Defra’s consultation on the LUF, the union acknowledged the increasing pressures on land use from housing, renewable energy, infrastructure and recreation.
However, it stressed that domestic food production must not be side-lined, especially in the face of global supply chain disruptions and climate volatility.
Labour's consultation on the LUF, which closes for responses later on Friday (25 April), aims to set up a new, strategic approach to land use in England.
With the UK population set to increase by 10% by 2050, the number of competing demands for land use will only continue to grow.
As part of its response, the NFU is urging government to set a clear target for British food production, mirroring the existing legally binding targets for environmental outcomes.
It is also advocating for a multifunctional land use strategy that supports both food production and sustainability.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said that geopolitical tensions and the vulnerability of global food supply chains, alongside an unpredictable climate, are making food production "so much harder".
"We should not be adding to this by taking land out of production and assuming we can maintain the same levels of production," he said.
“As the government has repeatedly stated, food security is critical to the nation’s resilience, so it’s vital we invest in homegrown food production and ensure we make the best use of every hectare of our agricultural land.”
Mr Bradshaw emphasised the need for a dynamic countryside that supports a thriving farming industry capable of delivering affordable, sustainable food while contributing to environmental goals, job creation and energy.
He also highlighted the significant challenges UK farmers have faced over the past 18 months, citing rising input costs, reductions in direct payments and policy instability as major concerns.
“We have taken a battering; volatile input costs, higher employer national insurance rates, reductions in direct payments and the family farm tax have all left their mark.
"The closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) has also threatened the livelihoods of numerous farmers, especially upland farmers and tenants, and undermined the ability of farm businesses to produce food and deliver environmental services."
Looking ahead, the NFU president said the LUF presents a vital opportunity to support the farming sector and the wider economy.
“By investing in British farming, we can lay the foundations for the future of our industry, so farmers can continue producing food alongside caring for the precious environment.
“Alongside this, we need a trade policy with a robust system of core standards for food imports that protect farmers and consumers from imported food that would be illegal to produce here.”
