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<p>The UK has a highly resilient food supply chain and is well equipped to deal with
situations with the potential to cause disruption.</p><p> </p><p>Our high degree of
food security is built on supply from diverse sources; strong domestic production
as well as imports through stable trade routes. We produce 60% of all the food we
need, and 73% of food which we can grow or rear in the UK for all or part of the year,
and these figures have changed little over the last 20 years.</p><p> </p><p>UK consumers
have access through international trade to food products that cannot be produced here,
or at least not on a year-round basis. This supplements domestic production, and also
ensures that any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease does not
affect the UK's overall security of supply.</p><p> </p><p>Defra has well established
ways of working with the industry and across Government to monitor risks that may
arise. This includes extensive, regular and ongoing engagement in preparedness for,
and response to, issues with the potential to cause disruption to food supply chains.</p><p>
</p><p>Recognising the importance of food security, in the Agriculture Act 2020, the
Government made a commitment to produce an assessment of our food security at least
once every three years. The first UK Food Security Report was produced in 2021 and
the next will be published by December 2024. This report serves as an evidence base
for policy work.</p><p> </p><p>Starting this year, the government is also strengthening
our food security monitoring by introducing the annual Food Security Index in addition
to the three-yearly UKFSR.</p><p> </p><p>Published to coincide with the second UK
Farm to Fork Summit on 14 May 2024, the 2024 Food Security Index sets out how Government
will track UK-wide food security on an annual basis, monitoring domestic food production,
land use, input costs, and farmer productivity.</p><p> </p><p>The Index looks at shorter-term
trends that change year on year, complementing the UKFSR’s comprehensive assessment
and attention to longer-term trends. The 2024 Index shows that the UK farming sector
is at its most productive since records began.</p><p> </p><p>A further package of
measures to support farmers and grow the UK’s farming and food sector was announced
by the government at the Farm to Fork Summit on 14th May 2024.</p><p> </p><p>This
includes a <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gov.uk%2Fgovernment%2Fpublications%2Fa-blueprint-to-grow-the-uk-fruit-and-vegetable-sector&data=05%7C02%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7Ca6bcce62eca54b98c7e208dc75998dde%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638514549574220446%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=EPMGmy06utGwoW2ak97LftPPf0kq62W6%2FnmT7isxfXs%3D&reserved=0"
target="_blank">new Blueprint for Growing the UK Fruit and Vegetable Sector</a> (see
attached), setting out how industry and government can work together to increase domestic
production and drive investment into this valuable sector. The plan involves ensuring
the sector has access to affordable and sustainable energy and water, cutting planning
red tape to make it easier and quicker to build glasshouses, and looking to double
to £80 million the amount of funding given to horticulture businesses when compared
to the EU legacy Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme which will be replaced from 2026 onwards.</p>
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