Britain’s food production must not slip below its current level of 60% self-sufficiency, the English National Farmers Union has warned.

There has been no 'meaningful assessment' of UK food security in over a decade, despite the Agriculture Act mandating such reporting every three years, noted the ENFU, which suggested that the government must now urgently report on the country’s production of key foods.

Read more: Let Scotland farm for food and climate

NFU president Minette Batters said: “British farmers produce some of the best food in the world. Not only is it delicious and nutritious, but it’s produced to incredibly high environmental, animal welfare, traceability, and food safety standards – something not every country is able to say.

“Yet, over the past few years, not enough importance has been placed on Britain’s food production. This has been all too clear as the country has watched its self-sufficiency drop from as high as 78% in the mid-80s to its current level of just 60%. As an island nation which is very well suited for quality food production, it would be a mistake to let that happen again and become even more reliant on the rest of the world to feed us," she said.

Read more: British Food Fortnight will celebrate that nation's farmers

“Delivering a comprehensive report into food security and taking appropriate action in response would show the government is serious and ambitious about boosting sustainable food production in Britain. This would not only help reduce the UK’s reliance on imports, which often fall below our own high standards of production, but also enable farmers to build the British brand overseas through trade.

“If our government truly backs the potential of British food and farming, the country could see huge benefits. British farmers could increase the industry’s economic contribution and provide more nutritious, affordable, climate-friendly British food for UK shoppers and people across the world, all while bolstering domestic and global food security.”