Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land-based industries forecasts that unless the industry equips its workers with the skills to adapt to the changing face of the land-based economy Britain will need to look to foreign shores to fill the void left by the erosion of the land-based economy.

The recent explosion in fuel and energy prices has illustrated how reliant Britain is on imported raw materials. Lantra predicts that unless urgent action is taken by industry and government, Britain could face the same vulnerability in relation to food supply.

Based on the current decline in the industry, the Great British Breakfast could be off the menu once and for all as we look to other markets to supply our food. Spain is the largest single exporter of eggs to England and Wales, China is the world’s largest pork producer. Britain may also have had its chips, with China also being the world’s largest exporter of potatoes.

With the industry losing 15,900 worker per year, Lantra predicts that by 2035 the farmer could be extinct, meaning that Britain will lose its self sufficiency which is crucial to maintain our independence and position as a global player.

Lantra’s call to action to the industry coincides with a global focus on food demand – the recent United Nations food summit in Rome saw UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon forecast that food production needs to rise 50% by 2030 to meet world demand. With 38% of the workforce operating in the land-based sector aged over 45, skills are literally dying out. Additionally, despite the industry offering an average weekly income nearly £100 in excess of that earned in retail, hotels or restaurants, young people are failing to see the unlocked potential of the land-based industry.

In response to the crisis in the industry Lantra has launched its ‘Skills for Our Nation’ campaign – a drive to raise awareness of critically important job roles in the sector, and the skills required to get the industry growing once again. At a launch in Westminster backed by the Minister for Skills, David Lammy MP Lantra unveiled a number of new initiatives including OCF – developed by Lantra to link nationally agreed standards with the latest technology to enable students, employers and employees to recognise their skills and knowledge, identify areas for development and plan their chosen career.

Dr Gordon McGlone OBE, Chairman of Lantra, comments: “Britain faces a future where growing is going and we need materials and workers from other markets to maintain our food supply and take care of the land-based economy. We are determined to showcase the opportunities within the industry and help businesses up skill to equip themselves for the future. We represent an industry which has the opportunity to thrive once more and in turn safeguard the self sufficiency of the UK as a nation.”

 Source:  Lantra Website 25 June 2008