Written Question·Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs·UIN 92488

Animal Feed and Cereals: Imports

Tabled: 18 November 2025
Answered: 25 November 2025

Question

Freddie van Mierlo

Liberal DemocratHenley and Thame

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the role of importers and processors of grain and animal feeds in strengthening food chain security and resilience.

Answer

Dame Angela Eagle

Food security is national security and is of the utmost importance. UK Food security is built on supply from diverse sources, strong domestic production as well as imports through stable trade routes. Imports supplement domestic production and ensures that any disruption from risks such as adverse weather or disease does not affect the UK's overall security of supply.

The Department continues to assess the resilience of the agri-food supply chain through regular engagement with industry and cross-government coordination.

Together with the devolved administrations, Defra has established the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG) to monitor and assess the impact of market developments across the UK. It monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, inputs, trade and recent developments, enabling it to provide forewarning of any atypical market movements.