The Best Use of UK Agricultural Land

June 2014 – The demands on UK agricultural land are escalating. Meeting the needs of a growing population, providing greater food and energy security, increasing woodland coverage and offering better environmental protection are just some of these demands. But where will this land be found?

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The Natural Capital Leaders Platform has launched a report that has engaged industry in a review of the demand and supply of UK agricultural land use and potential responses. The report was produced in collaboration with Asda, Sainsbury’s, Nestlé, AB Agri, Yara, BASF, BOCM Pauls, Volac and the NFU and CLA. The aim was to understand the amount of additional land needed and provide a simple, clear vision for UK agricultural land use and a set of principles to guide future decision-making.

The report also quantifies a number of ‘supply-side’ measures that could help meet this additional demand, including improving yields and reducing food waste, while also highlighting the need to understand how much land can be used for multiple purposes. But it warns that these initiatives may not be sufficient to close the gap, in which case difficult choices will need to be made.