I recently visited the local NFU Mutual team at their new local office. It is great to see the NFU in a prominent position in Broadbridge Heath. Domestic food production may too often be taken for granted but it matters to us all. The UK is largely self-sufficient in many products and of the foods that we can produce in the UK, we produce around 74 per cent of what we consume and some 60 per cent of all food. The Government’s Food Strategy commits to maintaining this level while increasing production in sectors where there are the biggest opportunities, such as seafood.
Buying domestically (or, even better local, produce) has a positive benefit in reducing “food miles” and for our national resilience in emergencies. However prices are increasingly determined globally. Agricultural commodity prices are strongly linked to global energy prices and farmers are facing rising input costs which are reflected in the High Street. Although it remains a real concern (as does their ability to plant for next year) there has at least been some glimmer of hope for routine Ukrainian grain shipments through the Black Sea, which are very important for many countries.
The changes in international prices is one factor that will influence the crops we see around us, another is the changes in climate. This has been very visible this year with an early harvest – it also underpins the production of local wine. Vineyards have resumed a role in Sussex last seen in the Middle Ages. There growth is a huge local success and I am delighted that DEFRA recently announced that wines produced in East and West Sussex have been added to the list of products given geographically protected status.
Sussex soils and producers now produce very respected wines and we are fortunate to have a number of highly thought of vineyards locally and throughout the county. The vineyards at Mannings Heath and Leonardslee are both due to release their first wines next year and will, I am sure, further lustre to the fine selection of Sussex wine on offer.