Farmers have told the government that it needs to offer action not words to support them in their mission to feed the nation and world.

Yesterday (Tuesday) Minette Batters, president of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) told the union's annual conference that "the clock is ticking" as farmers face soaring costs with diminishing returns.

She began by outlining lessons taken from the past year. She said: "There are three key lessons we can take from this extraordinary year.

“As the global population continues to rise, and parts of the planet become less suited to producing the food we eat, we have an opportunity, and a duty, to get the best out of our maritime climate.

"Secondly, in the face of climate change, we should be unwavering in our commitment to achieving net zero and contributing to our energy security through on-farm renewables generation.

"And thirdly, we should never take our food security for granted."

The challenges that farmers face, she said, are "volatility, uncertainty and instability", which are the "greatest risks" today. 

“Labour shortages and soaring energy prices are hitting the poultry industry, already reeling from avian influenza, as well as horticultural businesses and pig farms.

"Meanwhile, other sectors are facing an uncertain future as direct payments are phased out against a backdrop of huge cost inflation, with agricultural inputs having risen almost 50 per cent since 2019.

"And the impact of this? UK egg production has fallen to its lowest level in nine years. In 2022, UK egg packers packed almost a billion fewer eggs than they did in 2019."

She praised the farming community for continuing to grow and produce food despite last year's record-breaking temperatures and drought levels.

Before bringing the government to order, Ms Batters pointed to the plans for the new Environmental Land Management Schemes, increases to the Seasonal Agricultural Workers schemes and in the work done to increase food exports as progress.

However, she then highlighted the need for the government to turn words into action.

She said: "More often than not – it has been incredibly hard getting government to back up its rhetoric with concrete actions.

"The time is nearly up for government to demonstrate its commitment to food and farming in our great country, not just by saying they support us, but by showing us they do."

“There are three cornerstones on which a prosperous farming sector must be built and which any government should use to underpin its farming policy. They are boosting productivity, protecting the environment and managing volatility.

“But the clock is ticking. It’s ticking for those farmers and growers facing costs of production higher than the returns they get for their produce.

"It’s ticking for the country, as inflation remains stubbornly high, and the affordability and availability of food come under strain.

"It’s ticking for our planet, as climate change necessitates urgent, concerted action to reduce emissions and protect our environment.

"And it’s ticking for government – to start putting meaningful, tangible and effective meat on the bones of the commitments it has made.

"Commitments to promote domestic food production, to properly incentivise sustainable and climate friendly farming, to put farmers and growers at the heart of our trade policy, and to guarantee our food security.

"It really is time to back British farmers and back British food.”