POLITICIANS HAVE warned that the UK is in ‘danger of going backwards’ in terms of food security as farmers cut back on planting crops in the face of ongoing labour uncertainties.

This was the message shared with delegates during an online RED Talk examining food production post-Brexit, as speakers warned that without more assurances from the Government that farming’s labour needs would be met in the years ahead, domestic food production would suffer.

The shadow environment minister for labour, Daniel Zeichner MP accused the UK Government of taking food security for granted: “People understandably are having to make decisions about this year and next and if they have no guarantee of getting labour they simply won’t plant (crops) or make the investments needed,” he stressed. “We are in danger of going backwards in terms of our own food security.”

He pointed out that UK Government had finally produced its food security report at the end of 2021, however argued that it was still unclear what it thought was a ‘reasonable level of food production.’

He criticised the UK Government’s stance that it should be ‘left to the market’ – a view often communicated by Defra minister George Eustice MP.

“People want a plan and they need direction so they can work to that,” continued Mr Zeichner. “We want to make, buy and sell more in Britain.”

Professor Simon Pearson, who is the Founding Director of Lincoln Institute of Agri-Food Technology, explained that automation is going to be key to addressing labour challenges but warned that the technology isn’t ready yet.

“Technologies are not going to come quick enough to fill the gap between Brexit and now Covid's impacts on the industry and the ability to replace that labour with automation,” he said.

“It is important for industry that there is an effective and enduring transition between current labour shortfalls of around 30% and the future of automation. The policy environment has to help these businesses not to collapse because they don’t have the labour.”

Read more: Westminster warned against food security neglect

He added, however, that automation should not be seen as the ‘silver bullet’ to the labour crisis, giving the example of crops such as daffodils which he said will 'never' be automated.

“We are hearing of significant farms reducing crop production area for 2022, that is because of the working capital risk of producing these crops on a low margin gain, so if you don’t have labour and can’t pick that crop you are going to be risk averse and cut back,” he explained.

Liberal Democrat politician, Lord Robin Teverson spoke candidly about the UK Government’s ‘lack of interest’ in the rural economy.

“The government wants to ignore the sector and has taken it for granted for a long time,” he said. “There are going to be real issues around agriculture having to stand on its own feet in every way and that will mean big pressures on smaller farms and the wider industry – not helped by more trade deals if the present philosophy of government stays in place. The only way you are going to get a deal with South America, or the USA is by giving away on agricultural issues,” he warned.