Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Ploughing on? The state of British farming Speeches Battle of Ideas festival 2025
#britishfarming
#ukagriculture
#farmers
#foodsecurity
#ruralbritain
Many farmers struggle to make a living from producing food and are forced to diversify by using their land and buildings for other purposes – or selling up altogether, often to replace agricultural farms with solar farms. Yet the UK is far from self-sufficient in food and the proportion of the food we eat that is homegrown is in decline. Defra figures suggest we now grow just 62 per cent of the food we need. It’s not just farmers who worry that we aren’t producing enough, leaving us at the mercy of global markets.
What should be the future of farming in the UK? Should we do more to support local production? What can we do to make life easier for farmers? Do Westminster and Whitehall really understand – or even care about – the concerns of the countryside?
The speakers on the panel are:
Rosie Duffield MP - member of parliament for Canterbury
Baroness Kate Hoey - non-aligned peer, House of Lords; former Labour MP; former sports minister; former unpaid commissioner for sport, London Mayor's office; Leave campaigner
Alan Hughes - business owner, Farmers to Action
Catherine McBride - economist and trade specialist
Kurt Morton - farmer and owner, Manor Farm Partnership; member, Farmers To Action
The chair is:
Alan Miller: co-founder and chair, Together Association
This video was filmed and edited by WORLDwrite volunteers attending the Battle of Ideas Festival 25. WORLDwrite volunteers filmed over 50 sessions at the festival. To edit, sound clean and prepare these videos for the Academy & WORLDwrite channels, takes at least 2 days each. With no paid staff the charity needs your help to keep its edit suites switched on. Please chip in if you can by visiting the charity's JustGiving page at justgiving.com/charity/worldwrite Or hit the Donate button below the video. Thank you for your help and for watching. Please subscribe to out channel.
Ploughing on? The state of British farming Speeches Battle of Ideas festival 2025
#britishfarming
#ukagriculture
#farmers
#foodsecurity
#ruralbritain
Many farmers struggle to make a living from producing food and are forced to diversify by using their land and buildings for other purposes – or selling up altogether, often to replace agricultural farms with solar farms. Yet the UK is far from self-sufficient in food and the proportion of the food we eat that is homegrown is in decline. Defra figures suggest we now grow just 62 per cent of the food we need. It’s not just farmers who worry that we aren’t producing enough, leaving us at the mercy of global markets.
What should be the future of farming in the UK? Should we do more to support local production? What can we do to make life easier for farmers? Do Westminster and Whitehall really understand – or even care about – the concerns of the countryside?
The speakers on the panel are:
Rosie Duffield MP - member of parliament for Canterbury
Baroness Kate Hoey - non-aligned peer, House of Lords; former Labour MP; former sports minister; former unpaid commissioner for sport, London Mayor's office; Leave campaigner
Alan Hughes - business owner, Farmers to Action
Catherine McBride - economist and trade specialist
Kurt Morton - farmer and owner, Manor Farm Partnership; member, Farmers To Action
The chair is:
Alan Miller: co-founder and chair, Together Association
This video was filmed and edited by WORLDwrite volunteers attending the Battle of Ideas Festival 25. WORLDwrite volunteers filmed over 50 sessions at the festival. To edit, sound clean and prepare these videos for the Academy & WORLDwrite channels, takes at least 2 days each. With no paid staff the charity needs your help to keep its edit suites switched on. Please chip in if you can by visiting the charity's JustGiving page at justgiving.com/charity/worldwrite Or hit the Donate button below the video. Thank you for your help and for watching. Please subscribe to out channel.
