Last weekend I was in Blackpool at the Conservative Spring Conference where I gave a speech about the work we are doing to keep international supply chains open, to support the people of Ukraine and secure our food supply.
In recent weeks, we have all been moved by the incredible courage of Ukraine’s president; by the extraordinary bravery of the Ukrainian army; and by the fortitude and resilience of the Ukrainian people. Ukrainian farmers are showing tenacity in another way. Despite everything, they remain determined to get this year’s crops in the ground, particularly in Western Ukraine. Spring is the season of new life and new beginnings. For farmers, the world over it is a time of hope as they sow their crop for the year ahead, with optimism for what it might bring in the future.
The determination to get this year’s crop on the ground shows that Ukraine is a country that believes in its future and refuses to give up. Of course, Ukraine is a significant global producer of many agricultural commodities such as wheat and sunflower oil. The invasion of Ukraine has obviously caused some turbulence in international commodity markets. Agricultural commodity prices have always been strongly correlated to the price of energy. The turbulence on the market has brought into focus, once again, the importance of a resilient global supply chain.
The UK is largely self-sufficient in wheat production and imports a small amount predominantly from Canada. But we are working with like-minded countries around the globe to ensure that trade flows continue, and we are working through organisations like the World Food Programme to identify vulnerabilities in other countries and to play our part ensuring that we get food to those nations in need, including those besieged cities in Ukraine.
Recent events and the impact of the Covid pandemic are also a reminder that domestic food production matters. Domestic food production gives us national resilience. Our new farming schemes in England are supporting our farmers to improve their profitability and output. We’ve just increased the Farming Investment Fund for small technology grants from £17 million to more than £48 million supporting thousands of farmers with their investment plans this year.
Of course, food production and environmental protection must go hand in hand. I’ve always maintained that they are two sides of the same coin. Many of the steps we will take to encourage a more sustainable model of agriculture will also help improve the resilience and profitability of farm businesses. Last year, our world-leading Environment Act became law – creating a new domestic framework outside of the EU. Last week, I set out ambitious environmental targets in priority areas from biodiversity to air and water quality. I want us to use our newfound freedom to do better for our environment – where there is more room for science and less obsession with the legal processes.
As the Prime Minister said at COP, we have a chance to end humanity’s long history as nature’s conqueror, and instead, become its custodian – a mantra that has long been at the core of conservatism. Now is the moment and it is a Conservative Government that is leading the agenda.
