FDF response to Michael Gove's NFU Conference Speech
20 February 2018
FDF response to Michael Gove's NFU Conference Speech
In response to Michael Gove's speech today at the NFU Conference FDF has issued the below response:
Ian Wright CBE, FDF Director General, said:
“In just a few months the Secretary of State has placed food and drink at the heart of Government thinking. Under his leadership, Defra has blossomed – as evidenced by the creation of the Food and Drink Sector Council. The FDF has long argued for such a Council and is committed to playing our full part in making it the engine for change across the 'farm to fork' supply chain. Its role must be to deliver a long term, cohesive food and drink policy across Whitehall. This is much needed at a time of huge change and uncertainty for industry. The future of UK agriculture is a key question for FDF members – and sustainable food production must be at its core.
“The Secretary of State is right to herald the global appetite for UK food and drink – and the potential still to be grasped. However, if we are to build on our success and grow our exports further, it is vital that we secure the right Brexit deal for UK food and drink manufacturers - and for the wider £112 billion food chain. This means continued barrier-free and tariff-free trade across the island of Ireland and with the EU27.
“It will also require more help for smaller exporters to find new opportunities in markets further afield. As the UK's largest manufacturing sector, we are proud of the role we have played in delivering for consumers and shoppers the widest range of food and drink at every price point. Now the Government must itself deliver. Food and drink is vital to our national security and wellbeing. There can be no more important priority in the Brexit negotiations than to secure the future of the UK's food supply with agreement on trade, access to labour and common regulation.”
More information
Contact Ted Woodward, Corporate Affairs Division, at: ted.woodward@fdf.org.uk, or +44 (0) 20 7420 7140.
Distribution channels: Food & Beverage Industry
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