Jon Williams - BASF Agricultural Solutions: "The first ask of the Defra Secretary at the NFU Conference should be, what does UK food security mean?"

Mr Williams is public and governmental affairs manager at BASF. He writes about the state of British agriculture, food security, land management and questions Defra Secretary Steve Reed needs to answer at NFU Conference

Chris Brayford
clock • 3 min read
Jon Williams, public and governmental affairs manager at BASF, said: "One thing that is crucial amid the discussion is to not lose sight of where farmers earn their main income – from growing profitable crops, livestock and energy generation. If we want to take land out of production for ‘other things', are we happy to reduce our food security to do so?"
Image:

Jon Williams, public and governmental affairs manager at BASF, said: "One thing that is crucial amid the discussion is to not lose sight of where farmers earn their main income – from growing profitable crops, livestock and energy generation. If we want to take land out of production for ‘other things', are we happy to reduce our food security to do so?"

NFU Conference How we decide to use our land must surely be one of the biggest decisions a country can collectively make. Ahead of the NFU Conference, navigating the current direction of policy travel...

To continue reading...

Already a member? Login for full access.

Login

New to Farmers Guardian? Register for 1 free article per week or become a member for unlimited access to essential farming news and insights.

article-img-580x358

 

More on Farm Business

NFUS calls for retailers to adopt Scottish-first approach

NFUS calls for retailers to adopt Scottish-first approach

New findings reveal that only 26% of supermarket own-label products in Scotland are Scottish

clock 28 February 2026 • 3 min read
Latest milk prices for dairy farmers: First Milk increases April price but markets remain 'uncertain'

Latest milk prices for dairy farmers: First Milk increases April price but markets remain 'uncertain'

Major processors keep prices steady after months of drops

clock 27 February 2026 • 42 min read
Road to Regen: Top tips to avoid overgrazing in the spring

Road to Regen: Top tips to avoid overgrazing in the spring

Silas Hedley-Lawrence is a farmer, coach and consultant with a decade of hands-on experience in regenerative agriculture. With a background rooted in both commercial and direct selling models, he champions lean, profitable farming systems that increase biodiversity and soil health. Silas is an Integrity Soils trained agroecological coach from the Yellowstone 2024 cohort

Silas hedley-Lawrence
clock 27 February 2026 • 6 min read