THE Government has been urged to put the nation's food security at the top of the political agenda.

NFU President Minette Batters was speaking after the latest figures on the UK’s self-sufficiency in food showed they have stagnated.

Tuesday, August 7, was the notional day in the calendar when the British larder would run bare if the nation was only fed only British food from January 1.

Defra figures for 2017 show that Britain produced 60 per cent of its own food and this rate is in long-term decline.

Mrs Batters said food self-sufficiency statistics had always been important but were more so with Brexit just eight months away.

The unprecedented hot and dry weather had put British food production into sharp focus She said: “We strongly believe that every British citizen should be entitled to a safe, traceable and high quality supply of British food that is produced to some of the highest animal welfare and environmental standards in the world.

"Home-grown food production must have the unwavering support of Government if we are to achieve this post-Brexit.

“The statistics show a concerning long-term decline in the UK’s self-sufficiency in food and there is a lot of potential for this to be reversed.

"While we recognise the need for importing food which can only be produced in different climates, if we maximise on the food that we can produce well in the UK then that will deliver a whole host of economic, social and environmental benefits to the country."

Mrs Batters said the UK farming sector had the potential to be one of most impacted sectors from a bad Brexit.

"A free and frictionless free trade deal with the EU and access to a reliable and competent workforce for farm businesses is critical to the future of the sector," she said.

"As we replace the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy, we must keep a sharp focus on what productive, progressive and profitable farm businesses need from a domestic agricultural policy.”