Farmers warn food security can't be taken for granted

Farmers warn food security can't be taken for granted3 days agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJoe Skirkowski,West of England,Ross Pollard,Somerset ReporterandAlastair McKee,West of EnglandBBCRichard Clothier, managing director of Wyke Farms, says energy and food security are big concernsFarmers at the annual Royal Bath and West Show have been sharing their concerns about the industry and its future.The current price of milk, the rural housing crises and mental health have all been mentioned by farmers in what is being described as a "strange year".But the themes causing farmers the most concern are the potentially seismic cost increases to fuel and energy linked to the war in the Middle East and climate change.Richard Clothier, managing director of Wyke Farms in Somerset, said: "With climate change and the other geopolitical challenges around the world, food security can't be taken for granted any more."More from SomersetFans raise thousands to save footballer's careerPolice investigating park attack make third arrestDog walker's near miss as branch falls from tree"There's a lot of parallels between energy security and food security and we've seen quite blatantly how when things go wrong with energy how devastating it can be," he added.The Royal Bath and West Show is expected to attract thousands of spectators and has been described as a holiday for farmersAbout 30% of the world's fertiliser chemicals and 20% of the oil normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed by Iran since early March.This has led to worldwide price increases that British farmers are now beginning to feel the effects of.Potential increases in fuel costs are a real concern for some farmers"Food security means different things to different people," said Jeremy Moody, secretarial adviser to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers."We look at the amount of food we could produce in this...