The government's bold plan to dramatically expand the UK's poultry sector has sparked fierce warnings from campaigners who believe the policy could imperil national security. Critics point out that the industry's heavy reliance on imported animal feed creates a hazardous vulnerability to global supply chain disruptions and geopolitical instability.
Speaking at the Groundswell agriculture festival, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds stressed the government's commitment to boosting homegrown food production. She highlighted the formation of the Farming and Food Partnership Board – comprising influential industry figures – as a key mechanism for achieving this goal. In a parliamentary committee hearing, Ms Reynolds also acknowledged that planning constraints are a significant barrier to growth in the poultry sector. The government is reportedly reviewing regulations to facilitate the construction of intensive livestock farms, despite existing concerns about environmental impacts.
Organisations such as Sustain and Communities Against Factory Farming (CAFF) are strongly opposing this approach. Ruth Westcott, a campaign manager at Sustain, argued that intensive poultry farming is inherently resource-intensive, polluting, and inefficient, making it an unsuitable solution for long-term food security. Both groups urge the government to abandon its current poultry growth strategy and instead prioritise homegrown protein sources, including pulses, legumes, nuts, and beans.
Maya Pardo, CAFF's campaign lead, drew attention to the government's own national security assessment, which reportedly acknowledges that current levels of animal farming are unsustainable without imports. Soy from South America accounts for 18% of produced animal feed, with Ms Pardo warning that this reliance not only contributes to deforestation, particularly in the Amazon rainforest, but also exposes the UK to significant risks from supply chain shocks and potential ecosystem collapse – presenting a clear national security issue.
These warnings align with broader concerns about food security outlined in the government's farming roadmap. The document highlights how geopolitical instability, climate change, environmental degradation, and supply chain disruptions are already impacting the UK's food security, with a potential for severe food price shocks and reduced availability of certain foods. Similar sentiments have been echoed in a recent report by the UK's top national security officials, which underscored the severe threat posed by the climate crisis and the impending collapse of vital natural ecosystems – potentially leading to food shortages within years.
Harriet Bell, regenerative farming lead at Riverford, welcomed