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Campaigners warn UK poultry growth plan could heighten national security risk
Critics say the government plan could increase reliance on imported animal feed, with soy from South America making up 18% of produced animal feed, per a national security assessment cited by advocates.
UK campaigners are warning that a planned growth initiative for the poultry sector could pose national security risks, arguing it would leave the food system too dependent on imported animal feed. The push is tied to a broader government food security agenda, with the environment secretary saying the barrier to expanding poultry production includes planning constraints, according to the Guardian Business.
The environment secretary, Emma Reynolds, said at the Groundswell agriculture festival that improving food security depends on increasing homegrown produce, and referenced the Farming and Food Partnership Board, which includes industry leaders. In a separate parliamentary committee hearing earlier this month, she also pointed to planning constraints as a key hurdle for poultry sector growth.
The Guardian Business reports that campaigners are urging the government to scrap the poultry growth plan, arguing intensive poultry farming is resource intensive and not a viable route to food security. Sustain and Communities Against Factory Farming are calling for a shift toward homegrown protein sources such as pulses, legumes, nuts, and beans.
Advocates also cited the government’s own national security assessment, warning that animal farming at current levels is unsustainable without imports. They specifically pointed to soy from South America accounting for 18% of produced animal feed, adding to concerns about vulnerability to supply chain shocks.