The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) has welcomed the Government’s launch of the Farming Roadmap 2050: Growing England’s Future, highlighting the importance of providing long-term clarity and certainty for farmers and the agri-supply sector beyond the next harvest.
The roadmap sets out a 25-year vision for English agriculture, focused on improving profitability, productivity, sustainability and resilience, alongside immediate measures to support farm businesses through investment, innovation and supply chain reforms.
Responding to the announcement, AIC Chief Executive Robert Sheasby, who sits on the Government’s Farming and Food Partnership Board, said:
“We welcome the publication of a long-term roadmap for farming in England. Providing a clearer sense of direction beyond the next election is an important step in supporting confidence and investment across the whole agricultural and food chain sector. The focus on productivity, alongside profitability, resilience and sustainability, reflects priorities that are strongly aligned with the work of AIC Members in supporting productivity, competitiveness and the environment to deliver modern, sustainable, commercial agriculture.”
The Government roadmap also sets out measures to reduce barriers to trade and investment, support farmer collaboration, improve supply chain functioning, alongside recognising the importance of the wider food supply chain.
AIC emphasised that partnership working will be essential to delivering the roadmap in practice, with the Farming and Food Partnership Board providing a key mechanism to facilitate sector growth through collaboration between Government and business.
While welcoming the direction of travel, AIC noted that continued clarity on delivery and implementation will be important to ensure the roadmap supports confidence and long-term investment across the sector.
It is encouraging to see that the Government’s “Farming Roadmap 2050” reflects many of the recommendations set out in the AIC-commissioned independent report, Powering Productivity for Sustainable UK Food Security, launched in 2023.
AIC will continue to work with Government, industry partners and its Members to support the delivery of the roadmap and ensure the contribution of the agri-supply sector is fully reflected.
