The NFU’s National Combinable Crops Board met Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, to highlight the specific needs of the sector, including support to grow protein crops and intervention on supply chain fairness.
The Crops Board called on the government to provide support which would de-risk and incentivise the uptake of protein crops within arable rotations.
NFU Combinable Crops Board chair Jamie Burrows said: “There is a growing demand for sustainable protein within UK agriculture, and the government has the opportunity to enhance our food security by ensuring that more of these crops are grown domestically.”
The Board said that a greater area of protein crops, turning the tide on a crop which is currently falling out of favourability, would help reduce the reliance on unsustainable imported feedstocks.
This would also deliver improvements to soil health, supporting the wider uptake of IPM practices, reducing reliance on PPPs and generating an abundance of flowering crop area, all in line with broader government ambitions.
He added: “We had a constructive discussion, and I believe the Minister will have a better understanding of our issues and ambitions. As well as overcoming the barriers, we look forward to continuing our engagement with the government as we seek to drive this sector forward.”
