"If all the food produced in the UK in a year were stored and eaten from January 1, the 'cupboard' would be bare by August 14" suggests the National Farmers Union. Advocates urge the government to help farmers produce more of the country's food.
Britain's lack of self sufficiency in food terms has been highlighted by the National Farmers' Union (NFU) who have called for an increase food production and for support for farmers. Currently the UK produces 62% of its own food, falling from 75% over the course of two decades, something the NFU president Peter Kendall describes as alarming.
Kendall goes on to criticise Britain's obsessive hunt for the cheapest source of food which has seen the import of food and drink reach £37.6 billion a year.
The NFU claims that concerns over reliability of food, including the recent horse meat scandal, and complications in the purchasing chain are in part, also to blame. In the article, published in the Telegraph, Kendall suggests that given the right market conditions and 'the confidence to invest', food production would increase significantly.
The British government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) disagrees with the NFU's concerns, suggesting that it "shows our farmers can be competitive and also that there are opportunities to increase their share of the market here. There are also opportunities to sell their produce in other countries.”
FULL STORY: British-produced food would run out today, farmers warn
January Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
How a tidal wave of potential changes at the federal level could throw many programs planners depend on into chaos, a roundup of last year’s zoning stories, and the continuing ripple effects of a landmark Supreme Court case.
How Smaller Supermarkets Could Transform American Communities
Bigger is not always better.
Urban Farming Addressing Hunger (and More) in Pittsburgh
Urban farming provides opportunities to increase food security in addition to other benefits.
Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”
Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service