The UK’s ability to feed itself is in jeopardy, thanks to a system that’s stuck in the past.
A new report from countryside charity CPRE reveals that England’s Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system, still relies on climate data from as far back as the 1940s.
The result? An overestimation of high-quality farmland, with potentially devastating consequences for the country’s food security.
Since 2010, 14,000 hectares of prime agricultural land have been lost to development. To make matters worse, climate change is hammering what’s left—60% of England’s best farmland is now at high risk of flooding.
CPRE is calling on the government to urgently update the ALC and embed stronger protections for top-quality land in the upcoming Land Use Framework.
The fear is in our quest to build more energy generation such as windfarms, we are under estimating the impact on food production.
Roger Mortlock, CPRE’s chief executive, didn’t hold back:
The government is making crucial decisions using data from when Winston Churchill was Prime Minister.”
He added that the new Land Use Framework is “an opportunity to make the best possible use of our finite land and balance competing demands from food production, nature recovery, clean energy and housing.”
The report also flags the peril facing lowland peat soils, which produce 40% of the UK’s vegetables.
Without action, these crucial soils could be lost within decades due to climate change impacts.
Environmental campaigner Guy Shrubsole warned: “The climate crisis, fenland drainage and intensive agriculture are destroying the fertility of England’s soils and our ability to grow food.”
As land faces increasing pressure from housing developments and renewable energy projects, experts are united on one point: without modern data driving land-use decisions, the UK’s food security could be irreversibly compromised.
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