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| UK assesses future food security | UK assesses future food security |
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| A 'radical rethink' of how the UK produces and consumes food is needed, the environment secretary, Hilary Benn, has warned. | |
| He was speaking at the launch of the government's assessment of the threats to the security of what we eat. | |
| The UK's food supply is fairly secure but he warns that climate change and population growth may damage this. | |
| Producers, supermarkets and consumers are invited to suggest how a secure food system should look in 2030. | |
| Some of the findings from the consultation are expected to be published in the autumn. | |
| As well as launching the consultation process, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a scorecard-style assessment of the current state of the UK's food supply. | As well as launching the consultation process, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published a scorecard-style assessment of the current state of the UK's food supply. |
| We are going to have to get used to less choice, and we are going to have to eat differently Professor Tim Lang,Food policy expert | We are going to have to get used to less choice, and we are going to have to eat differently Professor Tim Lang,Food policy expert |
| "It is to stimulate a debate within the UK on what a food policy should be, and how do we define and look at food security more broadly," said Defra's chief scientific adviser Professor Robert Watson. | "It is to stimulate a debate within the UK on what a food policy should be, and how do we define and look at food security more broadly," said Defra's chief scientific adviser Professor Robert Watson. |
| "Food is absolutely essential, and over the past few years we did see a food price increase - not only in the UK, but across the globe," he told BBC News. | "Food is absolutely essential, and over the past few years we did see a food price increase - not only in the UK, but across the globe," he told BBC News. |
| "We think it is time to have a debate with consumers, farmers, the private sector... on what the food policy should be for the UK. | "We think it is time to have a debate with consumers, farmers, the private sector... on what the food policy should be for the UK. |
| "We are clearly food secure in the UK today," he observed. "We produce about 60-65% of our own food [and] import about 20% from Europe. | "We are clearly food secure in the UK today," he observed. "We produce about 60-65% of our own food [and] import about 20% from Europe. |
| "So the [test] for us will be, as the Earth's climate changes, what will be the challenges not only in the UK but throughout the world?" | "So the [test] for us will be, as the Earth's climate changes, what will be the challenges not only in the UK but throughout the world?" |
| HAVE YOUR SAYMore needs to be done to promote natural ways of growing food. It needs to be sustainable, seasonal and freshRui De Sousa, London Send us your comments | |
| Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said while Britain was more self-sufficient now than it was in the 1930s and 1950s, everyone had to start thinking ahead about how to produce more using less water and less fertiliser. | Environment Secretary Hilary Benn said while Britain was more self-sufficient now than it was in the 1930s and 1950s, everyone had to start thinking ahead about how to produce more using less water and less fertiliser. |
| He said last year's sudden jump in the price of food and oil, which most fertilisers are based on, was a "wake-up call". | He said last year's sudden jump in the price of food and oil, which most fertilisers are based on, was a "wake-up call". |
| "We saw last year when the oil price went up and there was a drought in Australia, which had an impact on the price of bread here in the UK, just how interdependent all these things are," he said. | "We saw last year when the oil price went up and there was a drought in Australia, which had an impact on the price of bread here in the UK, just how interdependent all these things are," he said. |
| "We have to feed another two and a half to three billion mouths over the next 40 to 50 years, so I want British agriculture to produce as much food as possible." | "We have to feed another two and a half to three billion mouths over the next 40 to 50 years, so I want British agriculture to produce as much food as possible." |
| He also encouraged British consumers to buy more UK-grown produce and called for a re-think on best before or sell by dates to reduce waste. | He also encouraged British consumers to buy more UK-grown produce and called for a re-think on best before or sell by dates to reduce waste. |
| Food for the future | Food for the future |
| Today's food security assessment focuses on six areas, including global availability, UK food chain resilience and household food security. | |
| Population growth means the world needs more food from fewer inputs Food needs 'fundamental rethink' Send us your comments | Population growth means the world needs more food from fewer inputs Food needs 'fundamental rethink' Send us your comments |
| It assesses the current situation in each area, and the likely situation in 5-10 years time. | |
| One sector identified as "very unfavourable" and showing no sign of improving is global fish stocks. | |
| Yet other areas, such as the diversity of the UK's suppliers of fresh fruit and vegetables are deemed "favourable" and likely to improve even more. | |
| In July, the Sustainable Development Commission - the government's environmental watchdog - warned that the current food system was failing. | In July, the Sustainable Development Commission - the government's environmental watchdog - warned that the current food system was failing. |
| In its report, the commission warned that the current approach was a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and paid little attention to soil quality and water use. | In its report, the commission warned that the current approach was a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and paid little attention to soil quality and water use. |
| Responding to the Defra publications, the British Retail Consortium said that any strategy had to be centred around consumers. | Responding to the Defra publications, the British Retail Consortium said that any strategy had to be centred around consumers. |
| "Without their buy-in, no plan will work," said food policy director Andrew Opie. | "Without their buy-in, no plan will work," said food policy director Andrew Opie. |
| "We do need a sustainable supply chain, but retailers do not need government statements to wake them up to these issues, they are already taking action. | "We do need a sustainable supply chain, but retailers do not need government statements to wake them up to these issues, they are already taking action. |
| "What we need is joined-up policy with government agreeing what it wants from food across all its departments and agencies." | "What we need is joined-up policy with government agreeing what it wants from food across all its departments and agencies." |