Should British consumers only eat British produce?

Last month at the Cereals show, I was asked to compete in a Royal Agricultural College team to debate the motion ‘This House Believes that British Consumers do not need to consume only British Produce.’

Initially I was hesitant to state such an idea, as it felt like we weren’t supporting British farmers, which we absolutely do. However as we explored the motion we found that the best way to support British Farmers was to enable them to compete in a global market. Our main points of argument were capacity, food security and consumer wants and needs.

In the UK we currently can grow enough to meet daily calorie needs. However this is a very bland diet, and given population growth, and development across land that could be used for agriculture this ability and capacity is diminishing every day.

Food security is another issue. The opposition felt that our food would be safer coming from inside our borders but given the adverse impact ‘foot and mouth’ and BSE have had, it is clear this cannot be guaranteed. Moreover, given the stringent food safety demands of the EU on imports, food is just as safe as that grown here. Also, climate change and the impact of extreme weather events that no one can predict, means we cannot put all our eggs in one basket. A bad year for a certain crop could mean we will struggle to supply the food that we need.

Finally if we look at today’s diets, the consumer ‘wants’ to have access to a variety of products. Admittedly there should be some give and take, regarding customer wants and needs, however we cannot ignore the fact that many people rely on diets that cannot be supported by British farms alone. We cannot produce rice, pasta and tropical fruits in this country. Nor should we. There are many farmers in the world who use sustainable agricultural practices and they should be rewarded for this.

We do support British farmers and food – but someone somewhere else can sometimes do it better (potentially with a lower carbon footprint) and we should let this happen. We have a great farming industry and thankfully some of the best welfare standards in the world, because we operate in a global market. This shouldn’t be compromised purely to meet consumer interests in local food and self-sufficiency.

Being involved in this competition was a great experience, and with the average age of a farmer now 59, it is the next generation of agriculture who need to get involved. Debates are a great way for learning new skills, meeting the farmers who have been there and done it and discovering what an exciting future lies in store for British farming. I would encourage all young people to get involved and explore this new frontier in agriculture.

Angharad is currently reading for an MSc in International Rural Development (Sustainable Agriculture) at the Royal Agricultural College and holds a degree in Medical Science, in which she developed a keen interest in nutrition, and its impact on health and livelihoods.

Are you a student or young farmer who feels strongly about the future of the industry? Do you agree with Angharad’s arguments? Post a comment below or get in touch with the Farming Futures team to share your views…