Campaigners warn UK poultry growth plan risks national security
7 reported
Campaign groups are warning that the UK government’s planned poultry sector growth plan poses a risk to national security, according to a single-source report. The environment secretary, Emma Reynolds, told the Groundswell agriculture festival earlier this month that boosting homegrown food production was key to improving food security, and cited the newly formed Farming and Food Partnership Board. However, Ruth Westcott of Sustain and Maya Pardo of Communities Against Factory Farming (CAFF) argue that intensive poultry farming is resource-intensive, polluting, and reliant on imported soy feed, which they say undermines food security. The government’s own national security assessment reportedly warns that animal farming at current levels is unsustainable without imports, with soy from South America making up 18% of produced animal feed. The government’s farming roadmap, released last month, acknowledged that geopolitical instability, climate crisis, and supply chain disruptions already affect UK food security and could lead to severe price shocks or reduced food availability. Harriet Bell of Riverford and Professor Tim Benton of the University of Leeds also commented on the need for planning reform that protects natural systems and for a shift in how the government approaches risk in a volatile world.
What’s reported
Campaigners warn the government’s poultry sector growth plan is a risk to national security.
Environment secretary Emma Reynolds said boosting homegrown food production was key to improving food security.
Sustain and CAFF are calling for the government to axe the poultry growth plan and focus on homegrown protein sources like pulses, legumes, nuts, and beans.
The government’s national security assessment warns that animal farming at current levels is unsustainable without imports, with soy from South America making up 18% of produced animal feed.
The government’s farming roadmap warned of severe food price shocks and reduced food availability in extreme situations due to geopolitical instability, climate crisis, environmental degradation, and supply chain disruptions.
Harriet Bell of Riverford said planning reform must not become a free pass for developments that undermine healthy water systems, biodiversity, or animal welfare.
Professor Tim Benton of the University of Leeds said food security will soon become the “organising principle” for agricultural policy.
Key figures
Emma Reynolds, environment secretary
Ruth Westcott, campaign manager at Sustain
Maya Pardo, campaign lead at Communities Against Factory Farming (CAFF)
Harriet Bell, regenerative farming lead at Riverford
Tim Benton, professor of population ecology at the University of Leeds
Sources: The Guardian
