A letter to Farmers Guardian in response to letter published from Soil Association's Peter Melchett

Sir,

Peter Melchett accuses me of ‘disparaging the overwhelming majority of European and international scientific opinion’ (There is no need to be disparaging, Farmers Guardian, July 1).

Actually, what we are calling for is a more joined-up discussion about what the next green revolution looks like. There is absolutely no point looking at increasing agricultural output, better use of water resources, improving the environment or reducing waste in isolation. I’m pleased that the Government has touched on exactly this point in its Natural Environment White Paper; quite rightly, the paper stresses the need to improve the environment, but it also acknowledges the need to increase food production – the challenge is finding a way to do both.

That doesn’t strike me as an isolated position; it’s what the G20 agricultural ministers have, in terms, called for in their June declaration. They have highlighted the need for a huge increase in production; we won’t achieve that by having conversations in different rooms or by dividing the agricultural community into factions.

NFU President Peter Kendall
Agriculture house
Stoneleigh Park
CV8 2TZ

02476 858686