To think Britain should start growing it’s own food again?

[Vocaladvocaat]

The situation in the Ukraine clearly isn’t going to resolve any time soon. The lack of grain from Ukraine is pushing prices higher. Add in further political instability in other parts of the world to the mix. We are always told that IK farming isn’t competitive but with the rising prices, it can be and furthermore; having home grown produce is seeming like it will be more necessary in the future. AIBU?

If you have a garden or allotment you can grow a lot of your own fruit and veg. During lockdown I started growing food in my back garden. Prior to that I just grew flowers. I've got apple and plum trees, raspberries, runner beans, potatoes, onions, carrots, rhubarb, salad leaves, tomatoes, strawberries peppers and chillis. My sister with no garden grows tomatoes and salad leaves in a grow bag on the edge of her back door. You can grow herbs in a patio pot or on your window sill.

Farmland isn't being built on ffs. And only a very small proportion of our land is built on at all.

We lost a lot of our farmland centuries ago. It became country estates for gentry to introduce deer and pheasants for shooting purposes, and ride their bloody ponies on.

Actually most solar farms are on lower grade land, because planning guidance is clear that there is a preference for land that is 3b or below. Would people rather that we are reliant on Putin for imported gas to generate electricity?
What about all the other non-food uses of farmland? Energy crops? Campsites? Horses? Golf courses? Should they all be stopped as well?
Solar panels currently take up about 0.1% of farmland. And they help farmers stay in business so they can continue to produce food on the rest of their land.

I was clarifying in response the post at 10.35 which quoted my earlier post re eating pasta imported from abroad.

Lots of grumpy people on MN today!

"Don't vote Labour then as they want to build on farmland."

Don't vote Conservative either as they have already signed trade deals with Australia and New Zealand that will allow the import of cheap meat that does not meet current British/EU standards and is from animals fed on feed that does not meet UK/EU standards and that have been treated with drugs that do not meet UK/EU standards. Trade deals that will put many British farmers out of business, and will have a negative impact on the businesses and communities that depend on farming for their prosperity (feedstuff suppliers, vets, agricultural machinery dealers, transport companies, food processing companies etc.).

Farmland isn't being built on ffs.

It is around here.

That was quick

Without doubt, human fertiliser is unpalatable but it’s much better than sewage in rivers!

I know several people from other continents who have said that everyone grow plants as standard. I think it’s us Brits who are in the minority!

I started with “free” plants- onions, garlic and leek roots from shop bought food grown in water. Potatoes planted. Seeds from shop bought peppers and tomatoes eyc. Although tomato seeds take a little work. It’s enjoyable and sleazy although the amount I grow will make almost no difference to my income!

Yes, this. There’s a reason why when we were largely self-sufficient the Scottish diet was very heavily based on oats.

It might be possible to become mostly self-sufficient in the UK but it would very dramatically limit our diet. From a climate point of view, local isn’t always better. Food grown in a suitable climate and flown in is often more energy efficient than locally grown food that needs a lot of energy to get it to grow. Local and seasonal is best, but extremely restrictive.

As opposed to the conservatives that are already building on farmland, no want involved, believe me we've lost around half our arable fields where I am and it looks like we'll be losing even more in the near future if the surveying is anything to go by

What are you talking about plenty of farmers and landowners sell their land under a Conservative government.

Well obviously. It's not illegal so some amount of farmland will always be sold.

PPs very clear point is that Labour want to build more housing, so that loss is amplified.

Stop insisting on new-build low density houses in the middle of nowhere. There is plenty of room for housing that doesn't need to destroy farmland.

High streets are dying in towns and city centres. I know brownfield sites are more expensive to develop, but surely putting housing in derelict buildings in cities will revitalise cities and provide housing nearer to facilities?

You were replying to my post but didn't quote it.

But you entirely missed the point by referring to what pasta is made from.

I was refering to the April Fool of the Pasta Harvest programme on the telly. It was funny.

Through winter & early spring it would be difficult.

But I'd like to see things like home economics at school with sections on how to store food properly so that for example you can still be eating home grown apples, potatoes, other root veg, onions, and even late tomatoes, through to november/December. As well as education on what grows well in the uk & when its in season. We need to eat the apples, pears,plums, blackberries, cherries and raspberries that grow abundantly here, and freeze some for the winter. Its not just about producing more, we need to use what we produce well.

It doesn’t matter if it Tories or Labour - both camps will end up building on farmland. Neither have proper policies to ensure/help food security just a load of hot air.

People would rather tarmac their drive so they can park a car rather than grow fruit and vegetables. And some don’t know how to prep or cook basic vegetables.

I do grow some of my own fruit and veg.It does taste better and I eat a wider variety of fruit and veg as a result

Er, yes I did get the reference.

Sadly I'm old enough to remember the 'spaghetti harvest' on Panorama (I think).

Currently Chinese made solar panels are being put on farmland all over the country. This need to stop and they need to go on factories, warehouses, etc.

I think most people on here need to watch Clarkson’s Farm to get some idea of farming

how to store food properly so that for example you can still be eating home grown apples, potatoes, other root veg, onions, and even late tomatoes, through to november/December

That would be nice, although the big problem is storage room when far too many people don’t have decent housing any more. We have done some education on food in primary, but you try getting the kids to pay attention - and then retain it through their teenage years of power, status, and mating rituals. Through years when they have no access to land or experience of food growing themselves.

A lot comes back, again and again, to overpopulation and poor housing. The dig for victory campaigns relied on a much lower population, often in the council houses which now fetch huge sums as good houses on large plots.

(And a culture based on American consumerism and status struggles).

“Time all farmers started farming, and not just owning land they're paid to do nothing productive with”

Are you saying farmers still get paid by the government to deliberately not farm part of their land?

YABU. More and more farm land is being converted into solar farms to provide some of the electricity needed for when fossil fuels (gas and oil etc) are banned. There'll be nowhere near enough land left to grow our own crops, especially when so much land isn't flat enough for crops, hence sheep hill farming etc.

If you want to eat cabbages and turnips for 6 months of the year, by all means go ahead.

We've ok imported food for centuries. Because it tastes nice.

Farmland isn't being built on ffs

Farmland is being built on. Since 2010, the CPRE have estimated 300,000 houses have been built on farmland

We've had this problem for the last 160 years. Why so urgent now?