UK wildlife & environment are at risk as fruit & veg growers face breaking point. With 80%+ of fruit and 50%+ of veg imported, only 2% of farmland is used to grow produce. Half of growers fear losing their livelihoods. To safeguard wildlife, health, and climate, we must boost home-grown fruit & veg.
Categories
Beneficiaries
Situation
UK growers are under threat from a changing climate, rising costs and competition from imports which threaten our nation’s food security. A diet lacking in fruit and veg is damaging our nation’s health, threatening biodiversity and contributing to climate change. UK growers need to be supported to grow more fruit and veg using nature-friendly farming practices without the fossil-fuel based fertilisers and pesticides that harm our wildlife and waterways.
Solution
Fruit and veg production is the vital link between public health, food security and protecting our environment. We will support growers to increase fruit and veg production through nature-friendly practices and campaign for urgent action from the UK government to help increase the amount of UK land used to grow fruit and veg and create demand for fresh, local produce - starting with supporting schools to serve up healthy, veg-packed meals for children.